Gianni Infantino Will Be Next FIFA President

FIFA has a new president, Gianni Infantino. He was elected with a majority of votes in the second ballot. His election, instead of Sheikh Salman, was a bit of an upset.

Who is Gianni Infantino? He’s 45. He’s Swiss. He’s a career soccer bureaucrat. He speaks a lot of languages. Infantino was the General Secretary of UEFA. Soccer fans will recognize him as the bald fellow from the UEFA Champions League draws.

Crucially, Infantino is not linked with any of the corruption scandals. Unlike the other option, Sheikh Salman, he has not been linked with human rights abuses. This is an undoubted step in the right direction.

One distinguishing factor with Infantino’s election concerns the World Cup. He pledged during the campaign to expand the tournament from 32 to 40 teams. Infantino was involved with expanding the Euros from 16 to 24.

FIFA passed its reform package, by a vote of 179-22.

• FIFA Council – FIFA Executive Committee will be replaced by a 36-member FIFA Council, including at least six women. Everyone will be subject to integrity checks by an independent body.
• Term Limits – The president and FIFA Council members will be limited to three four-year terms, for a total of 12 years.
• General Secretariat – FIFA will create a separate business department, separating that duty from the FIFA Council.
• Bureaucracy Cut – Number of FIFA committees reduced from 26 to 9.
• Transparency – FIFA will disclose the salaries of the president, all Council members and major committee chairs on a yearly basis.
• Vague Promises – FIFA pledges to promote women and promote human rights. (Not clear how the latter will play out regarding Qatar)