FIFA President Infantino re-elected for second term

President of World’s football governing body, FIFA, Gianni Infantino has been re-elected unopposed for a second term as the head of the highest decision making body of the beautiful game.

President Infantino was re-elected during the 73rd FIFA Congress held in Kigali, Rwanda on Thursday. The 52-year old Swiss-Italian will thus lead FIFA for an official second term between 2023 and 2027.

“Being FIFA President is an incredible honour, an incredible privilege, and it is also a great responsibility. I am truly humbled and touched by your support, and I promise you that I will continue serving FIFA, serving football all over the world and serving all 211 FIFA member associations,” said Infantino after his re-election.

Infantino became FIFA President in February 2016 after an Extraordinary FIFA Congress voted him in to complete the tenure of Joseph Sepp Blatter meaning that his first official term began with the 2019 election.

Infantino stressed FIFA’s role to organise competitions and to develop football part of which is an wholesome increase in prize money for the forthcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand to the tune of over $150m US, more than three times in 2019 and more than ten times in 2015.

Under Infantino’s watch, the Men’s and Women’s World Cup tournaments have experienced significant changes both in formats and revenues. The first ever winter World Cup was held last November/December in Qatar while the first ever 32-team Women’s World Cup will be held this summer.

To continue with that, President Infantino at the Congress also referenced impending changes to the FIFA Under-17 World Cups at boys’ and girls’ level, which will see those tournaments played on an annual basis, as well as the launch of the FIFA World Series and the revised 32-team FIFA Club World Cup with the intention of giving teams from every confederation more opportunities to compete on the global stage.

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Musa Gusau and his predecessor Amaju Melvin Pinnick (now a member of the FIFA Council) attended the 73rd FIFA Congress in Kigali.