List of FIFA Presidents 1904 to 2026
The current FIFA president is Swiss-Italian dual national Gianni Infantino, who was first elected on 26 February 2016 and has since been re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023. Infantino is the ninth elected president in FIFA's history and is currently overseeing the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, the first edition to feature 48 teams.
FIFA was founded in Paris on 21 May 1904, and its first president was Frenchman Robert Guerin. Since then, the role has been held by men from France, England, Belgium, Brazil and Switzerland. This page lists every FIFA president in order, together with the acting presidents who held the office on a temporary basis, and answers the most common questions about the position.
FIFA Presidents in Order
| No. | President | Nationality | Took Office | Left Office | Years in Office | Born | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Guerin |  French | 1904 | 1906 | 2 | 1876 | 1952 |
| 2 | Daniel Burley Woolfall |  British | 1906 | 1918 | 12 | 15 June 1852 | 24 October 1918 |
| 3 | Jules Rimet | French | 1921 | 1954 | 33 | 14 October 1873 | 16 October 1956 |
| 4 | Rodolphe Seeldrayers |  Belgian | 1954 | 1955 | 1 | 16 December 1876 | 7 October 1955 |
| 5 | Arthur Drewry | British | 1955 | 1961 | 6 | 3 March 1891 | 25 March 1961 |
| 6 | Stanley Rous | British | 1961 | 1974 | 13 | 25 April 1895 | 18 July 1986 |
| 7 | Joao Havelange |  Brazilian | 1974 | 1998 | 24 | 8 May 1916 | 16 August 2016 |
| 8 | Sepp Blatter |  Swiss | 1998 | 2015 | 17 | 10 March 1936 | – |
| 9 | Gianni Infantino |  Swiss-Italian | 2016 | Incumbent | 10 | 23 March 1970 | – |
Acting FIFA Presidents
On four occasions the presidency has been held on an interim basis, usually following a death or resignation. Arthur Drewry served as acting president from 1955 before being formally elected in 1956, while the three men below held the role temporarily without going on to win an election of their own.
| Acting President | Nationality | Period | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornelis Hirschman |  Dutch | 1918 to 1921 | Death of Daniel Burley Woolfall |
| Ernst Thommen | Swiss | 1961 | Death of Arthur Drewry |
| Issa Hayatou | Cameroonian | October 2015 to February 2016 | Suspension of Sepp Blatter |
Gianni Infantino, the Current FIFA President
Gianni Infantino won the presidency at an extraordinary FIFA Congress in Zurich on 26 February 2016, defeating Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, Sheikh Salman and Jerome Champagne after a second ballot. The vote followed the resignation of Sepp Blatter, who had won a fifth term in May 2015 before stepping down amid the corruption crisis that engulfed FIFA that summer.
Infantino was re-elected by acclamation at the 2019 Congress in Paris and again at the 2023 Congress in Kigali, giving him a mandate through to 2027. In April 2026, at the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, he confirmed he will stand for re-election at the 2027 Congress in Rabat, Morocco, which would extend his presidency to 2031. Under his leadership, the World Cup has expanded to 48 teams and 104 matches, a format making its debut at the 2026 tournament. You can follow every result from the finals on our World Cup 2026 fixtures and stats page.
Longest Serving FIFA Presidents
Jules Rimet remains the longest serving FIFA president, holding office for 33 years between 1921 and 1954. Rimet founded the World Cup, with the first tournament staged in Uruguay in 1930, and the original trophy was named in his honour. Joao Havelange of Brazil is second on the list with 24 years in charge, followed by Sepp Blatter with 17. If Infantino wins re-election in 2027 and completes the term, he would reach 15 years in office, moving ahead of Stanley Rous and Daniel Burley Woolfall into fourth place.
For the full history of the tournament each president has overseen, see our World Cup by year section and the complete FIFA All-Time World Cup records hub.
FIFA Presidents FAQs
Here are quick answers to the most common questions about the FIFA presidency.
Who is the current FIFA president?
Swiss-Italian dual national Gianni Infantino is the current FIFA president. He was first elected on 26 February 2016 and has been re-elected unopposed twice, in 2019 and 2023.
How many FIFA presidents have there been?
There have been nine elected FIFA presidents since the organisation was founded in 1904, plus three acting presidents who held the role on a temporary basis.
Who was the first FIFA president?
Robert Guerin of France was the first FIFA president, serving from FIFA's foundation in 1904 until 1906.
Who is the longest serving FIFA president?
Jules Rimet of France is the longest serving FIFA president, holding office for 33 years from 1921 to 1954. He founded the World Cup, and the original trophy was named after him.
When is the next FIFA presidential election?
The next FIFA presidential election takes place at the 2027 FIFA Congress in Rabat, Morocco. Gianni Infantino has confirmed he will stand for re-election, which would extend his presidency to 2031.
Gianni Infantino is the current president of FIFA and he was first elected to the position in February 2016.
