Skip to content

Questions about 2016 FIFA Extraordinary Congress

Short answers, pulled from the story.

Who won the presidential election at the 2016 FIFA Extraordinary Congress?

Gianni Infantino, general secretary of UEFA, won the presidency, defeating Sheikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa 115 votes to 88 in the second round. Prince Ali Al Hussein and Jérôme Champagne finished with 4 and 0 votes respectively in that round.

When and where was the 2016 FIFA Extraordinary Congress held?

The 2016 FIFA Extraordinary Congress was held on the 26th of February 2016 at the Hallenstadion in Zürich, Switzerland.

Why was the 2016 FIFA Extraordinary Congress called?

The congress was called as a result of the 2015 FIFA corruption case, after incumbent president Sepp Blatter announced on the 2nd of June 2015 that he intended to resign following his re-election to a fifth term. It was convened to pass statutory reforms and elect his successor.

Who were the eligible candidates in the 2016 FIFA Extraordinary Congress presidential election?

The five eligible candidates were Prince Ali Al Hussein, Salman Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, Jérôme Champagne, Tokyo Sexwale and Gianni Infantino, as declared by FIFA's Ad-hoc Electoral Committee on the 9th of November 2015. Sexwale withdrew after delivering his speech to the congress, leaving four candidates on the ballot.

What reforms were approved at the 2016 FIFA Extraordinary Congress?

Delegates approved a reform package by a vote of 179 to 207 members that dissolved the FIFA Executive Committee in favor of a larger FIFA Council selected by regional confederations. The package also imposed term limits on senior offices, including the presidency.

How many rounds of voting took place at the 2016 FIFA Extraordinary Congress?

Two rounds of voting took place, the first time the FIFA presidential election had gone to a second round in 42 years. Infantino led the first round 88 votes to 85 over Salman, then won the second round 115 votes to 88.