FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been re-elected as the president of FIFA until 2027.
He stood unopposed at the congress of world football’s governing body on Thursday and was once again waved in for a third term by delegates from the 211 member federations.
Infantino, a 52-year-old Swiss lawyer, succeeded the disgraced Sepp Blatter in 2016. During the event, held in the Rwandan capital, the voting system did not register any dissenting voices. In his address to the delegates, Infantino declared his love for all and thanked them for their support.
Despite the current FIFA statutes limiting a president to three four-year terms, Infantino has already prepared the ground to stay until 2031.
In December, he declared that his first three years in office did not count as a full term.
His term has been characterized by several controversial decisions, including his staunch defense of Qatar’s hosting of the last World Cup despite criticisms of the country’s treatment of migrant workers, women, and the LGBTQ community.
Infantino has overseen the expansion of both the men’s and women’s World Cup, resulting in huge increases in FIFA’s revenues.
The next edition of the men’s World Cup in North America in 2026 will feature 48 teams, up from 32. Similarly, the upcoming women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will see the participation of 32 teams for the first time. Infantino has also projected a massive income of $11 billion in the four years leading up to 2026, compared to $7.5 billion in the last four-year cycle that ended in 2022.
The reelection comes days after the proposed amendment to the 2026 World Cup format was unanimously approved by the Fifa Council in a meeting held in Kigali, Rwanda, before the 73rd Fifa Congress.
The new format will consist of 12 groups of four teams each, with the top two and eight best third-placed teams advancing to the round of 32.
The final will take place on July 19, 2026, with the mandatory release period beginning on May 25, 2026. Exemptions may apply to the final matches of confederation club competitions until May 30, 2026, subject to Fifa’s approval.
