Infantino reelected to the presidency of FIFA until 2023

PARIS (AP) – Latest news from FIFA meetings before the Women's World Cup (local time):

___

11:25

Gianni Infantino was re-elected to the presidency of FIFA until 2023.

The Federation of 211 FIFA members cheered it without a vote as it was the only candidate.

Infantino, a 49-year-old Swiss lawyer, was first elected in February 2016 to complete Sepp Blatter's mandate.

Blatter was forced to leave office as a result of investigations into corruption cases and is currently serving a six-year ban on financial misconduct.

___

11h

Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter paid tribute to his first opponent in the elections, the late Lennart Johansson.

Johansson died Tuesday at 89 years old.

Blatter defeated Johansson, then UEFA president, at a vote in Paris in 1998 to begin a 17-year tenure at FIFA.

Blatter says he is "very sad" about the loss of a "big and heavyweight football", adding "we were allies, opponents and rivals, but in all situations there was a lot of respect and fairness. play ".

Johansson led an unsuccessful attempt by FIFA's executive committee members to overthrow Blatter in 2002 before his re-election.

Blatter said: "This is not only a big loss for me, but also for Sweden, Europe and the football world".

___

10:50

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said fans will watch "an explosion of women's football" at the opening of the World Cup on Friday.

Infantino told the leaders of the 211 FIFA National Federations: "It's up to you to organize women's football".

These members will re-elect Infantino by acclamation Wednesday for a new four-year term.

FIFA has increased the representation of women in the first three years of the presidency. Infantino has recruited the first FIFA Secretary General, Fatma Samoura, from Senegal.

According to Infantino, women now have one in five seats in FIFA committees.

He says "only 20%, before that was 4%, sorry, we'll do better."

___

10:20

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said he was directing the football club "from toxic, almost criminal, to what it should be: an organization that develops football."

A few hours before his unopposed reelection, Infantino told 211 member federations that "today nobody talks about a crisis".

The Swiss lawyer was elected in February 2016 as a result of a US and Swiss federal investigation into corruption cases involving international football officials.