He was elected as the ninth FIFA President after the second ballot with 115 of 207 total votes. In line with the FIFA Statutes, the mandate of the new FIFA President started after the conclusion of the Congress on Friday 26th of March, 2016.
While the world is still buzzing over the elections, Infantino got straight to work as the newly-elected President, opening the FIFA World Football Museum as his first official duty.
Led on stage by Stephane Chapuisat – a former star of the Bundesliga and Swiss national team – a group of juniors from the local club FC Wollishofen entered the hall. The youngsters set the scene for the ‘F2 Freestylers’, who wowed the audience with their audacious tricks, before handing a ball over to the new FIFA President and museum director Stefan Jost for the museum’s official ‘kick-off’. A talk with Jost, Mario Fehr of the Swiss National Council, Norbert Müller, Chief of Staff of Zurich’s Mayor Corine Mauch, and FIFA Secretary General Markus Kattner rounded off the official part of the event.
The museum’s aim is to take visitors on an emotional journey of footballing discovery, and Kattner for one is firmly convinced by its appeal. Covering an area of 3,000 m², over 1,000 objects, 1,400 photos, some 500 videos, 60 screens and 15 interactive stations all come together to form a unique football experience. Additionally, the museum also boasts a sports bar, a bistro, a café-bar and a library – all of which are available to the public – as well as events and seminar rooms.