Incumbent FIFA President Gianni Infantino has secured another four-year stint after no challenger emerged for the title at the deadline for March’s election.
According to a statement issued by FIFA, Infantino was the only name submitted by Wednesday’s deadline.
The 52-year-old had already secured the backing of CONMEBOL, AFC, and the CAF after his rigorous campaign leaving very little chance for anyone other than him to be selected as the next head of football’s governing body.
“I would like simply, because again it’s the first time I speak publicly today, to put on record my big thanks for the over 200 member associations of FIFA, all the six confederations who have supported me,” Infantino said in a statement.
“I feel humbled and honoured to be able to serve the global football community for the next four years.”
Gianni Infantino was elected FIFA President in 2016 beating AFC’s President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain in the final round, replacing Sepp Blatter in the role.
He was aided by the fact that Europe’s preferred candidate and then UEFA president Michel Platini, was banned from football along with Blatter for ethics violations. Both men were later acquitted of fraud charges by a Swiss court this year.
The Swiss-Italian was then elected unopposed in 2019 an act that will be repeated next year during FIFA’s congress in Rwanda in March.
Infantino’s upcoming re-election to the $3 million-per-year job may not be his final term in office as FIFA rules allow him to run again to stay in power for another World Cup cycle until 2031.
