Infantino ally Grafström appointed as FIFA secretary general ad interim with immediate effect

Senegal's Fatma Samoura had been due to leave her role as secretary general at the end of the year, having been appointed by current President and International Olympic Committee member Gianni Infantino in 2016 to succeed the disgraced German-Swiss dual national Markus Kattner.

There has been no announcement that Samoura has brought forward her departure from FIFA, but it has been reported by Inside World Football she has taken leave until the end of her contract.

insidethegames sought clarification from the governing body with regard to Samoura's position, and it pointed to its statement in the media release from today's Council meeting.

"The FIFA Council also approved the appointment of FIFA deputy secretary general –football, Mattias Grafström, as FIFA secretary general ad interim with immediate effect," the statement said.

Grafström would be considered a strong favourite to assume the role on a permanent basis when Samoura officially leaves FIFA in December.

It had been announced in June FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura would step down at the end of the year ©Getty Images

Grafström has a legal background and is viewed as an ally of Infantino, initially joining FIFA as deputy director of its legal division in 2016 following the election of the Swiss official to succeed his disgraced compatriot Sepp Blatter.

He had been widely tipped as Samoura's successor when her departure was announced in June.

Grafström joined Infantino on his controversial tour of the Pacific islands during the FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.

Infantino described Samoura as a "trailblazer in the game", and she was credited by the governing body for overseeing an "unprecedented growth in women's football" and overseeing a restructure at FIFA.