Gianni Infantino is new FIFA President

UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino is the new FIFA president after clinching an outright majority in the second round of voting at the Extraordinary FIFA Congress held in Zurich. He was elected as the ninth FIFA President with 115 of 207 total votes. In line with the FIFA Statutes, the mandate of the new FIFA President started after the conclusion of the Congress. He will serve for the remainder of the current term of office, that is until 2019.

The Swiss beating pre-vote favourite Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation, into second place with 88 with Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, who was nominated by the Malta Football Association, obtaining four votes and Jérôme Champagne none. In the first round, Prince Ali obtained 27, Sheik Salman 85, Champagne 7 and Infantino 88. The other candidate, Tokyo Sexwale, pulled out of the five-man contest minutes before voting began.

The 45-year-old has been UEFA general secretary since 2009.

With UEFA president Michel Platini suspended for six years and general secretary Gianni Infantino elected to FIFA President, the European body now needs to elect both a president and a general secretary.