Whether or not you’re a fan of John Oliver’s news satire program on HBO, you’ve probably noticed that the last year has been one of political turmoil for FIFA, exposing corruption that centered largely on then president Sepp Blatter. Many of Oliver’s reported stories surrounded Blatter and the corruption running rampant throughout the organization.
Today, Gianni Infantino was elected as the new president of FIFA in the second voting round with 115 votes out of a possible 207. Aside from an end to the corruption of Blatter’s 18-year presidential tenure at FIFA, what might the world expect from the organization under Infantino’s leadership?
Listen to Infantino’s speech to get an idea for the type of organization he hopes to run.
Infantino comes to the role of president from UEFA, where he served as the general secretary. According to Infantino, he has daily experience coordinating with heads of state, associations, leagues and clubs. He seems focused on driving a positive outcome for the organization, and thereby earning good will for FIFA—and perhaps expanding it as well.
Infantino might just have what it takes to lead FIFA into a new age—but that is not to say his plans are without opposition. Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, who came out of the second round of votes in second place with 88 votes, criticized Infantino’s suggestion that FIFA might expand from 32 teams to 40, calling it a bid for votes. Some FIFA members have also expressed caution due to Infantino’s connection to UEFA president, Michel Platini. There are other concerns as well, but all the same, Infantino won the election.
The clouds haven’t parted yet on Infantino’s new role. FIFA is still dealing with the fallout of the scandal which came to light last spring and led to the end of Sepp Blatter’s presidency of the organization. However, in the near future, we can expect to see a 90-day plan from Infantino, detailing how he will approach his first month and a half as president and what we might expect of FIFA going forward.
For soccer fans, the corruption within FIFA has long been a pebble in the proverbial cleat. Hopefully, Infantino’s election will turn over a new leaf and allow FIFA to shed some of its murky reputation in favor of fair dealings going forward.
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