Infantino is new FIFA President

Swiss football administrator Gianni Infantino has been voted the new FIFA President.

The world’s football governing body held an extraordinary congress in Zurich, Switzerland today (26 February), where its 209 member associations had their say.

No candidate won two-thirds of the vote in the morning’s first vote, which forced a second round of voting.

There, Infantino got 115 votes, well ahead of the other three remaining candidates.

“I would like also to speak to the stakeholders – to, of course, the national associations that I spoke to today, to the leagues, to the clubs, to the players,” Infantino said after his win. “And, to the fans. And I want to tell to all of you that you will be proud of FIFA, you will be proud of what FIFA will do for football.”

The  election comes on the heels of a scandal-filled nine months for FIFA, where nearly 30 of its leaders were indicted as part of a global corruption probe in the sport.

Infantino takes over for former President Sepp Blatter, who was banned by FIFA for six years.