Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) President Gianni Infantino is set to serve for four more years.
FIFA says only Infantino had the required nomination letters from five of the 211 member federations when the deadline passed at midnight on Tuesday in Zurich. Former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega said he would stand against Infantino but did not garner enough support.
This means that the voting event scheduled for June 5 this year in Paris before the women’s World Cup would be more of a coronation for the 48-year old.
On 26 February 2016, he was elected FIFA President for a period of three years to replace Sepp Blatter who was banned from FIFA for financial irregularities with Michel Platini, Infantino’s former boss at UEFA.
The Swiss official beat Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain in the final round of that election after Jordan’s Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein and Frenchman Jerome Champagne had been eliminated. Infantino received 115 votes compared to Sheikh Salin bin Ebrahim’s 88.
Since being elected, Infantino oversaw expanding the World Cup to 48 teams in 2026, and picking the United States, Canada and Mexico to host it. He has also proposed bringing the expansion forward to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with a decision on the idea expected when a feasibility study has been conducted.
FIFA has also invested in women’s football and implemented VAR under Infantino.
Infantino has also been praised for cleaning up FIFA and fighting corruption. He has also been seen to bring transparency in FIFA during his tenure.
“The new FIFA is a democracy it is not a dictatorship,” Infantino said to FIFA members during an address in 2017. “It is a transparent organisation … a deeply honest organisation.”
He has, however, been accused of violating governance rules and forcing out officials who threatened his position.