Gianni Infantino gives his victory speech after being elected as FIFA's ninth president. #FIFAelectionhttps://t.co/jM1k9CZpeL
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 26, 2016
Gianni Infantino has been named as the new president of FIFA following an election in Zurich Friday morning.
The Swiss official defeated rival Sheikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa in the second round of voting by garnering 115 votes while only 88 nations cast their ballot for Salman. Infantino led after the first round of votes by a count of 88 to 85 but did not have the majority needed to clinch the election sending the voting into the second round for the first time in decades.
Infantino replaces former FIFA president Sepp Blatter who led the organization for the last 17 years.
The Swiss lawyer of Italian origin will lead FIFA until 2019 when the world soccer governing body will hold it's next election. Under new reforms enacted by the organization, the FIFA president can serve for a maximum of 12 years or three four-year terms.
You can watch his first press conference here:
