Has been President of Fifa since February 2016: Gianni Infantino.
Gianni Infantino might remain FIFA President until 2031. During consultations in the council of the world association, it was made clear “that I am in my first term of office,” said the Valaisian following the council meeting in Doha.
Infantino has led FIFA since February 2016. The 52-year-old, previously Secretary General of Uefa, took over the post from Sepp Blatter, who had resigned, in the middle of the current period. These first years as President are not officially counted as a first term.
Next March he will stand for re-election unopposed at the congress in Rwanda’s capital Kigali. Then his second term would begin, said the 52-year-old. According to the statutes, the FIFA President can be elected for a maximum of three terms of four years each.
New competitions
It was also announced at Infantino’s media conference that the Club World Cup should take place with 32 teams from 2025. The next edition from February 1st to 11th in Morocco will be held in the previous format (with seven teams).
Fifa is also planning a new competition for the national teams. A mini-tournament with teams from different continents, the Fifa World Series, is to be held every two years. In addition, the world association wants to combine the previous two international game windows in September and October into a longer window with four games from 2025.
The current World Cup was also an issue in Doha. Infantino drew an extremely positive conclusion regarding the controversial tournament. “For me, the World Cup was an incredible success in all areas,” he said. Football “united” the world. There was not a single negative incident, it was “unique”.
“Qatar was the best World Cup ever”Gianni Infantino
Infantino also thanked host country Qatar, the volunteers and everyone “who made the tournament the best World Cup ever. People wanted to enjoy their time, forget their problems and have fun». In the months before the start of the tournament, the Swiss had already praised the desert tournament as “the best World Cup of all time”. (SDA/AFP/mam)
