The UAE Football Association has a new president after Marwan bin Ghalita beat long-serving Yousuf Al Serkal in a close vote in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Bin Ghalita, 44, gained 19 of the votes from the Emirates’ 34 professional clubs, edging out Al Serkal (15) by a narrow margin of four.

Former Al Nasr chairman Bin Ghalita will now lead the FA until 2020, a period which will include the UAE hosting the 2019 Asian Cup.

In a tight vote held at the capital’s National Archives, Bin Ghalita and Al Serkal were neck-and- neck throughout, with the new man pulling ahead right at the end.

A new era now begins for the FA and Bin Ghalita, who only relinquished his post as chairman of the Blue Wave last month in order to oppose Al Serkal.

Yesterday’s vote halted Al Serkal’s attempts to gain a third term in office.

He claimed his first election victory in 2004, prematurely stepping aside in 2007 after the Gulf Cup was lifted on home soil.

He headed a temporary board in 2011, prior to regaining the top position during the 2012 vote.