Prince Ali Confirms Bid for FIFA Presidency
Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan has officially announced his candidacy for the FIFA presidency, marking his second attempt to lead world football’s governing body.
The 39-year-old, who has served as president of the Jordan Football Association since 1999 and was a FIFA vice-president from 2011 to 2015, declared his intention to run on Wednesday ahead of the extraordinary elective congress scheduled for 26 February 2016.
Prince Ali previously challenged Sepp Blatter in the May 2015 election, forcing a second-round vote before withdrawing. Blatter, now 79 and under increasing scrutiny amid corruption scandals, later announced his resignation on 2 June, prompting a fresh election to find his successor.
“Ten months ago, I was the only person who dared to challenge Mr. Blatter,” said Prince Ali. “I ran because FIFA needs change. I had the courage to fight for that change when others were afraid.”
He added that he felt used by those who initially supported him but later entered the race themselves.
“They didn’t have the courage to be candidates, unlike me. Since President Blatter announced his departure, they rushed to claim the position for themselves.”
Prince Ali now joins a growing list of contenders, including UEFA president Michel Platini, Chung Mong-joon of South Korea, Musa Bility of Liberia, and Segun Odegbami of Nigeria.
The upcoming election will be a critical moment for FIFA, which is seeking to rebuild its credibility after months of turmoil and ongoing investigations into corruption at the highest levels of the sport.
