Gianni Infantino

President of FIFA

Swiss-Italian football administrator and the 9th President of FIFA. Since his election in February 2016, he has led a period of significant reform, expansion and commercial growth for world football. Under his leadership, the FIFA World Cup was expanded to 48 teams, the Club World Cup was redesigned as a 32-team global competition, and substantial investment has been directed toward football development worldwide through the FIFA Forward programme.

Re-elected in 2019 and 2023, Infantino continues to shape the future of the world’s most popular sport.

Explore Profile
Gianni Infantino

About Gianni Infantino

Giovanni Vincenzo “Gianni” Infantino was born on 23 March 1970 in Brig, Switzerland, to Italian immigrant parents from Calabria and Lombardy. He studied law at the University of Fribourg and is fluent in seven languages: Italian, French, German, English, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic.

Before becoming FIFA President, he spent over 15 years at UEFA, rising to the position of General Secretary (2009–2016). In that role he helped modernise European club competitions and introduce Financial Fair Play regulations.

He was elected President of FIFA on 26 February 2016 and has since been re-elected in 2019 and 2023. He is also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since 2020.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

  • Full Name Giovanni Vincenzo Infantino
  • Date of Birth 23 March 1970
  • Place of Birth Brig, Switzerland
  • Nationality Swiss, Italian, Lebanese
  • Education University of Fribourg (Law)
  • Languages 7 languages
  • Family Married, 4 children
Gianni Infantino

Career Timeline

2000 – 2007

UEFA Legal Affairs

Joined UEFA and worked in the legal department, later becoming Director of Legal Affairs.

2007 – 2009

Deputy General Secretary of UEFA

Promoted to Deputy General Secretary, playing a key role in the organisation’s administration.

2009 – 2016

General Secretary of UEFA

Served as UEFA General Secretary for seven years. Oversaw major competitions, financial reforms, and the introduction of the UEFA Nations League.

26 February 2016

Elected President of FIFA

Elected as the 9th President of FIFA at the Extraordinary Congress in Zürich, succeeding Sepp Blatter.

2019

Re-elected as FIFA President

Re-elected unopposed for a four-year term.

2020

Member of the International Olympic Committee

Elected as an IOC member, strengthening the relationship between FIFA and the Olympic Movement.

2023

Third Term as FIFA President

Re-elected for another four-year term, continuing his leadership of world football.

Key Achievements

Expansion of the FIFA World Cup

Successfully expanded the men’s FIFA World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, beginning with the 2026 edition hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

New FIFA Club World Cup

Launched the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup, creating a true global club competition involving teams from all six confederations.

FIFA Forward Programme

Strengthened and expanded the FIFA Forward development programme, significantly increasing financial support to all 211 member associations.

Financial Growth & Transparency

Led a major recovery of FIFA’s finances after the 2015 crisis and introduced greater transparency in governance and executive salaries.

Women’s Football Development

Strongly supported the growth of women’s football, including the expansion of the Women’s World Cup and increased investment in the women’s game.

New Competitions

Introduced new competitions such as the FIFA Series and reformed existing ones to create more opportunities for national teams and clubs worldwide.

Leadership Vision

Since taking office in 2016, Gianni Infantino has focused on making football more inclusive, commercially stronger, and better governed. His presidency has been marked by structural reforms, the expansion of major competitions, and a significant increase in financial support for member associations through the FIFA Forward programme.

He has consistently emphasised that the money of FIFA belongs to the 211 member associations and should be used to develop the game at every level — from grassroots to the elite.