Infantino Elected FIFA President, Replacing Banned Blatter
- Banned Blatter leaves role after almost 20 years in charge
- Infantino arrives as soccer body tries to overcome corruption
Gianni Infantino .
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Gianni Infantino was elected president of FIFA, putting him at the top of soccer’s global governing body as it tries to emerge from a sweeping corruption scandal.
European soccer’s top administrator got 115 votes in the second round of balloting at Zurich’s Hallenstadion, beating Bahrain’s Sheikh Salman al Khalifa. The first new president since Joseph ‘Sepp’ Blatter took office in 1988, Infantino will help set priorities for one of sport’s most powerful bodies and oversee the World Cup. He takes office immediately and will serve until 2019.