Bjorn Vassallo is the new president of the Malta Football Association after he was elected to the post during the Malta FA Annual General Meeting on Saturday.

The FIFA Director of Europe has beat the challenge of Chris Bonett by 83 votes to 54 secure the top job at the local governing body of football.

Vassallo will succeed his old friend Norman Darmanin Demajo who steps down from the post after a nine-year term.

"I am delighted to have been elected as president of the Malta Football Association," Vassallo said in his first comments to the media.

"I would like to thank Dr Chris Bonett who was the first one to call me to congratulate me after the result came out. I think in the last few months we had a very healthy campaign and that shows that it is possible to hold such processes in a clean manner.

"My first priority now from Day One will be to bring together everyone in the Maltese football fraternity together, even those who did not vote for me, and together we push forward to try and put the game we love so much on a much solid footing."

For Vassallo it will be a return to the Malta FA after an absence of three years. He entered the Malta FA administration in 2009 and has occupied the positions of Chief Executive Officer and General Secretary before moving to the world governing body in 2016.

As regards his position at FIFA, Vassallo said that he will step down from the post immediately.

"Being the president of the Malta FA is a clear conflict of interest with my position at FIFA. Therefore, in the coming hours I will be getting in touch with FIFA president Gianni Infantino to inform him of my decision to resign from my position at FIFA with immediate effect."

Vassallo said that he will now speak to FIFA presideng Gianni Infantino in the coming hours to inform him of his decision

Vice-president elections

Meanwhile, the elections for the three vice-presidents post was also held.

Matthew Paris picked up the highest number of votes when totalling 103 and he retains his post.

Ludovico Micallef was also reconfirmed when coming in second with 67 while Adrian Casha will replace Alex Manfre after totalling 60 votes.

There was heartache for Peter Fenech who picked up just one vote less than Casha with 59 and Dr Cory Greenland who totaled 58.

Manfre bows out after he collected only 23 votes.

MFA vice-presidents Ludovico Micallef (left), Matthew Paris (centre) and Adrian Casha. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

There were also the three elections for the posts of Ordinary Members of the Executive Committee for 2019-20.

Joseph Sammut (91 votes) and Laurence Seychell (56) took the two seats available in Division One at the expense of Paul Falzon (52).

In the Third Division, the two posts were taken by Dr Cory Greenland with 78 votes and Chris Grech with 68 while Ray Micallef missed out on 47 votes.

New MFA president Bjorn Vassallo (centre) with Dr Matthew Paris (right) and Ivan Vella.