Nationality: German
Date of birth: 30 November 1950
Association president since: 2012

• Wolfgang Niersbach started his career as a journalist for the sports news agency Sport-Informations-Dienst (SID), and covered football and ice hockey at several FIFA World Cups, UEFA European Championships and Olympic Games. He then accepted an offer from the German Football Association (DFB) to work as head of the press office for EURO '88 in Germany.

• Having headed the DFB's press office for many years, he then moved on to become managing vice-president of the local organising committee (LOC) for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. In October 2007, he was elected as DFB general secretary, succeeding Horst R Schmidt. Niersbach lives in his native Dreieich near Frankfurt, and is also a keen tennis player.

• The new DFB president emphasised cooperation between professional football and the grassroots as the foundation for the game's successful development. "The national team is the best example to all of us how professional and amateur football complement each other and can profit from each other. And they show how integration and a tolerant togetherness can be self-evident. My wish is that this example can work as a role model for the entire game."