Gianni Infantino re-elected FIFA president until 2027

A renewal without dispute. The Italian-Swiss Gianni Infantino was re-elected until 2027 to the presidency of Fifa, a position he has held since 2016, without competition and by acclamation during the 73rd Congress of the body in Kigali (Rwanda), Thursday 16 March.

The 52-year-old leader, already renewed under the same conditions in 2019 by the delegates of the 211 member federations, could remain at the head of world football until 2031, his first three-year lease being considered incomplete.

A solid financial balance sheet, and ongoing reforms

“I love you all”, reacted the boss of world football in front of the standing crowd, without the voting system having made it possible to count the dissenting votes. To its credit, the Valaisan can show a solid financial balance sheet, with an 18% increase in income and 45% in reserves over the 2019-2022 cycle compared to the previous one, which allows Fifa to further increase its subsidies to confederations and federations.

On the governance side, his last mandate was marked by a vast reform of transfers, by the institution of maternity leave for professional players as well as by more protective rules of disciplinary procedure for victims of sexual violence.

The main projects for the next few years have already been approved: starting with the transition of the Men’s World Cup from 32 to 48 teams from the 2026 edition shared between the United States, Canada and Mexico, decided in 2017 and whose format was set on Tuesday 14 March. By opting for a group stage with twelve groups of four teams, the tournament will jump from 64 to 104 matches, a behemoth cut to explode ticketing revenue and attract even more broadcasters.