John McBeth is a surprise winner after David Will's long run

McBeth beat FA chairman Geoff Thompson, Irish FA president Jim Boyce and Peter Rees, the president of the Football Association of Wales.

McBeth will succeed his fellow Scotsman David Will when he retires from the post in May after 17 years.

The UK has a permanent seat for a vice-president on Fifa's high ranking executive commitee.

"It will be an interesting position and I will be looking very closely at how I can best use it to look after the interests of the home associations," said McBeth.

"It is an important role in world football and I will aim to prick a few consciences."

The news will come as a disappointment to Thompson, who had thought the time was right to end England's long exile from Fifa's top table.

Earlier, Thompson said: "England have not had it for 50 years and especially in recent years the FA have put a tremendous amount of effort and resources into our international relations programme with other associations.

"We ought to consider what is in our best interests. I don't want to sound arrogant but I believe that England will have the strongest voice to represent all of us on Fifa."