FIFA president: Who is in the running?

Who is in the running to become the next president of FIFA?

The deadline has now passed for candidates to register their interest in standing for election, with the result due in May. Here, we look at the six men in contention…

Luis Figo - Former Portugal midfielder

The 2000 Ballon d’Or winner and 2001 FIFA World Player of the Year, who served on UEFA’s football committee from 2011-2015, was prompted by the controversy surrounding the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids to make a stand. “I care about football," said 42-year-old Figo. "What I’m seeing regarding the image of FIFA - not only now but in the past years - I don’t like it. Football deserves much better than this. Something has to be changed. Change in leadership, governance, transparency and solidarity. I think it’s the moment for that.”

Jerome Champagne - Former FIFA executive

One of the most experienced rivals to Sepp Blatter, Champagne joined FIFA in 1999 and served as an executive for 11 years before going on to advise a number of football federations. He has called for FIFA to be more democratic and even proposed televised debates between candidates. “FIFA is at a crossroads and in need of sweeping changes that must take it further than what has been accomplished to date,” said the 56-year-old. “We have to take clear and informed decisions on whether we want to continue with the current economic polarisation, and the sporting imbalances it brings in its wake, or be willing to rebalance the game in our globalised 21st century.”

Prince Ali of Jordan - FIFA vice president

The youngest of the candidates at 39 years old, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein became a FIFA executive on the day of Blatter’s most recent re-election in June 2011 but has been backed by the FA to run for the presidency this time. “This was not an easy decision,” he said of his candidacy. “The message I heard, over and over, was that it is time for a change. It is time to shift the focus away from administrative controversy and back to sport. The world’s game deserves a world-class governing body… that is a model of ethics, transparency and good governance.” Prince Ali, the head of Jordan’s football federation since 1999, led a successful campaign to lift a ban on female Islamic players wearing headscarves in FIFA competitions.

Michael van Praag - Dutch FA president

UEFA executive committee member and former Ajax president Van Praag called on Blatter to stand down at the end of his current term – as he had promised – but opted to stand against the Swiss when it became apparent the FIFA president would run for re-election. “It is well known that I am very worried about FIFA,” said the 67-year-old. “It is high time that the organisation comes back in the real world. I had hoped that a credible opponent [to Blatter] would emerge but that’s simply not happened. In that case you cannot just talk but you must also act decisively and take responsibility, so therefore I am announcing my candidacy.”

And… Sepp Blatter - Current FIFA president

Bidding for a fifth term in office, 78-year-old Blatter has been running world football since 1998. Upon re-election in 2011, he launched a governance reform process but controversy has dogged the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids from Russia and Qatar. Blatter, though, remains eager to remain in his role. “I have been asked by the national associations to be our candidate again because nobody that is strong was in. So I go there,” he told CNN. “All those who want to get rid of me should come. All this opposition is coming now, it’s unfortunate to say - but it’s true - it’s coming from Nyon, from UEFA. They don’t have the courage to come in. So let me go [on]. Be respectful. I invite the leaders of UEFA that are so bitterly attacking me: Join! Join! Football is a unity.” Blatter had made a pledge in 2011 to stand down in 2015 but he recently said: “I have not finished my mission because it’s a mission to be in football. The reform process is not over.”