Fifa vice-presidency: IFA's David Martin loses role to FA chair Debbie Hewitt

Debbie Hewitt became the Football Association's first female chair last year

The Irish FA's David Martin has been replaced as the British vice-president on Fifa's Council after losing a vote against Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt.

Hewitt secured 39 of the 55 votes from Uefa's 55 national associations and will be in the £190,000 post to 2027.

Northern Ireland's Martin was elected in April 2021 after the resignation of Hewitt's predecessor Greg Clarke.

The place is historically allocated to one of the four British associations.

Hewitt became the FA's first female chair in its near 170-year existence in January last year.

It was announced in January that the FA chair would stand against the Northern Irishman for the Fifa post and Hewitt told BBC Sport on Wednesday that she had "spent a lot of time with the 55 Uefa associations and understanding some of their individual challenges and opportunities".

"What you learn very quickly in this role is that no two associations are exactly the same," said the new Fifa vice-president.

"That applies too to Fifa. I don't want to go in there with any preconceived ideas. It will take a few months before I get my head around it before I set firm priorities for the role."

Asked whether she sees herself as something of a trailblazer in a sport which is predominantly run by men, Hewitt replied: "I start by saying I have been in business for 40 years.

"I have never really come at my role thinking 'I am a woman I must be different'.

"But I do recognise - and increasingly recognise - that as a role model, you have an opportunity to show people it can be done.

"And no matter how frustrating you might find it as an individual, it is possible. I carry that responsibility as a role model as a privilege and I will make sure I use it really positively."