Europe's Infantino chosen to lead FIFA into new era

New Governance 

Lina Al Achkar Infantino kisses her husband, newly elected FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the Extraordinary Congress in Zurich, Switzerland February 26, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

The reforms include term limits for top officials and a clear separation between an elected FIFA Council responsible for broad strategy and a professional general secretariat, akin to a company's executive board, handling the business side.

Infantino's campaign did not at first glance mark a dramatic change from the naked financial appeals of past elections as he promised member federations more money in his quest for support, and an expansion of the World Cup finals to 40 teams from 32.

But unlike most of the other candidates, Infantino can point to the fact that he never served under Blatter in FIFA's tainted leadership, having worked for UEFA since 2000.

Sheikh Salman, the bookmakers' favourite, had been on FIFA's executive since 2013, and had had to repeatedly deny allegations from rights groups that he had been involved in or known about the detention and torture of Bahraini players in 2011 at the height of a crackdown on anti-government protests.

Following Blatter's 17-year reign, Infantino's election maintains Europe's stranglehold on the running of world soccer, and the continent's officials were quick to welcome the result.

"It is the first time in a long time that I have felt happy about anything to do with FIFA," said Executive Committee member Michel D'Hooghe of Belgium. "(Infantino) is a young, dynamic man who has done a superb job at UEFA."

UEFA executive committee member Karen Espelund of Norway said: "We needed someone credible, we needed a clean winner, a clean man, and I believe we have that in Gianni."

Blatter too welcomed the appointment but was still trying to take a share of the glory despite a day of speeches from candidates promising to clear up the mess of his watch.

"Gianni Infantino will now have to take over what I started, the last remaining points of the big reform package," Blatter said.

"The new president cannot cherry-pick now what he likes and what he doesn't like, that's quite a task awaiting him."

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