Gianni Infantino elected Fifa president: England could now bid for 2030 World Cup, says FA chairman Greg Dyke

Russia beat England to the rights to host the 2018 tournament amid accusations of bribery and corruption

Greg Dyke, FA chairman, at the Fifa presidential election (Getty)

Football Association chairman Greg Dyke has hinted England could yet launch a bid to host the World Cup in 2030 following the election of Gianni Infantino as Fifa president.

Russia beat England to the rights to host the 2018 tournament amid accusations of bribery and corruption under former president Sepp Blatter. The world football governing body, however, yesterday stated its intention to herald a new era of transparency with a raft of new reforms.

“The reason we wouldn't deal with a Blatter Fifa is because we didn't think we'd win,” Dyke said at the extraordinary congress moments after Infantino’s victory.

The Swiss-Italian defeated nearest rival Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa with 115 votes during the second ballot in Zurich, 27 more than the Bahraini Sheikh.

Dyke continued: “And there was so much bad blood from the last time we tried - at government level as well as at the FA level. It was almost impossible to deal with [Blatter].

“This is a new day, a new dawn. I think we will certainly try to win some tournaments. [The World Cup in] 2026 will go to North America, but we will maybe go for 2030.

“There's a big job to be done but at least we've got a reform programme and at least we've got a president in whom we can trust.

“He is very competent, very organised, very together. Not a showman, but good fun. He has got a lot of qualities and it will be very good for Fifa.”

Speaking to the world’s media following his election success, Infantino said: “Today we have to build bridges, not build walls. Football can certainly do that. I want to focus on football. Today it was an election, but not a war.

“It was a competition, but not a fight. It was a sporting contest. An election you win, you lose and then life goes on. Now we turn the page, we start to work, we work good together and I show the whole world I'm not a candidate of Europe or wherever. I'm a candidate of football and football is universal.

“This is what we'll start to do now in Fifa to work with everyone for the development of football and not to do politics, to speak about divisions, to speak about barriers.”