Federation Internationale de Football Association elects Gianni Infantino as new president

“I feel a lot of emotion and have not realised yet what has happened today”.

Sheikh Salman would likely have the momentum for victory if he gets at least 104 votes that would be a winning simple majority in the second round.

His first full week in office will begin with a football match at FIFA’s Zurich headquarters on Monday, but the fun will swiftly give way to the serious matters of appointing a general secretary, implementing the widescale governance reforms approved on Friday and addressing a United States dollars 550million shortfall.

“At the same time I am looking forward to a good and constructive cooperation for the sake of sport”.

Wolfgang Niersbach, who a year ago stood down as president of the German football association after a scandal engulfed Germany’s successful 2006 World Cup bid, said Infantino was the “best candidate” but a tough road lay ahead.

Many people who live football, who love football, who breathe football every day and many people who deserve that FIFA is highly respected.

In 1998, Blatter defeated Sweden’s UEFA president Lennart Johansson having also secured the support of Africa. Sheikh Salman has been alleged of human rights violations and also vote buying in the past.

“The new FIFA needs to become more inclusive and reflect the diversity of world football”.

“Infantino, he was the brain of UEFA, a computer”.

I’m glad Gianni Infantino is president, a man from the upper Valais such as myself.

Blatter too welcomed the appointment but was still trying to take a share of the glory despite a day of speeches from candidates promising to clear up the mess of his watch.

While an Asian missed out on the chance to replace disgraced former leader Sepp Blatter at Fifa, Lowy hailed the election of a reformist candidate to the top job.

Some federations, such as Kenya, made the switch directly from Salman to Infantino in the second round after they sensed the tide turning towards the Uefa general secretary, Kenyan official Nick Mwendwa said.

Numerous skills now required will, however, be in crisis management.

Blatter survived long enough to win re-election at that Congress, but stepped down four days later as the scandals took their toll. The victor is set to inherit a much-changed presidency, one, reformers say they hope will become more ambassadorial and less executive.

Football Association chairman Greg Dyke, who is standing down in June, hinted England could again bid to host FIFA tournaments, having missed out on the 2018 World Cup in controversial fashion.

Those include preventing presidents from serving more than three four-year terms, reducing their powers and guaranteeing more independent oversight for FIFA’s decision-making and spending.