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Full List of FIFA Presidents From 1904 to Gianni Infantino
FIFA has had only nine elected presidents since its formation in Paris on May 21, 1904.
These leaders came from France, England, Belgium, Brazil and Switzerland.
Cameroon’s Issa Hayatou also led the organisation temporarily after Sepp Blatter’s suspension.
Here is the full list.
- Robert Guérin
Country: France
Term: 1904 to 1906
Guérin became FIFA’s first president when the organisation was established in 1904.
- Daniel Burley Woolfall
Country: England
Term: 1906 to 1918
Woolfall helped create consistent international football rules. He died while serving as president.
FIFA had no elected president between 1918 and 1921.
- Jules Rimet
Country: France
Term: 1921 to 1954
Rimet remains FIFA’s longest-serving president after spending 33 years in office.
He helped launch the first World Cup in 1930. FIFA later named the original World Cup trophy after him.
- Rodolphe Seeldrayers
Country: Belgium
Term: 1954 to 1955
Seeldrayers served for less than a year before dying in office.
- Arthur Drewry
Country: England
Term: 1955 to 1961
Drewry became FIFA president after Seeldrayers. He also died while holding the position.
- Stanley Rous
Country: England
Term: 1961 to 1974
Rous led FIFA as more countries from Africa and Asia joined the organisation.
- João Havelange
Country: Brazil
Term: 1974 to 1998
Havelange served for 24 years.
During his presidency, FIFA increased its commercial partnerships and expanded the World Cup.
- Sepp Blatter
Country: Switzerland
Term: 1998 to 2015
Blatter led FIFA for 17 years.
FIFA’s Ethics Committee suspended him from football activities in October 2015. He was not impeached.
Issa Hayatou then served as acting president until February 2016.
- Gianni Infantino
Country: Switzerland
Term: February 26, 2016 to present
Infantino won the FIFA presidential election in 2016.
He secured unopposed re-election in 2019 and 2023.
FIFA expanded the men’s World Cup from 32 to 48 teams during his presidency. The expanded format began at the 2026 tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
No African or Asian official has won an election to become FIFA president. Hayatou remains the only African to lead the organisation, although he served temporarily.
