Infantino elected new Federation Internationale de Football Association president

The first round of voting wasn’t decisive – while Infantino, general secretary of Europe’s UEFA soccer organization, edged out Sheikh Salman of Bahrain, the favorite leading into the election, neither reached the required two-thirds majority of the 207 votes.

Pre-vote favourite Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa won 85.

The fifth candidate, Tokyo Sexwale of South Africa, livened up what was a largely dry affair with a stirring and often amusing pre-election speech – before announcing that he was dropping out before the first ballot.

“The reason we wouldn’t deal with a Blatter Fifa is because we didn’t think we’d win”.

“I will work tirelessly to bring football back to FIFA and FIFA back to football, this is what we have to do”.

It was an emotional moment for the new president whose campaign had gained momentum in the last week leading up to the election.

However, in the second round of voting, Infantino secured 115 votes – 27 ahead of Salman – to claim victory.

“With the Fifa reform package having been voted through there is now real momentum for world football to reinstate its credibility”, he added.

Gianni Infantino of Switzerland became the new head of world football’s governing body as he emerged triumphant in the FIFA presidential elections here on Friday.

Infantino “has all the qualities to continue my work and to stabilise Federation Internationale de Football Association again”, he said in a statement following the UEFA general secretary’s election on Friday. “I told you I went through an exceptional journey, which made me meet many fantastic people, who live and breathe football, and many people deserve to see FIFA is highly respected”.

Bach said that “at this hard period for football I wish him all the best for the implementation of the reforms approved by the FIFA extraordinary congress”.

Infantino was also a possible contender to fill in for former UEFA President Michel Platini, as Platini was also suspended as part of the financial corruption case against Blatter.

Blatter quit in May amid allegations that led to a six-year ban from football, which he is contesting.