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| Sepp Blatter, President of FIFA, left, is greeted by FIFA Vice President, Jordan's Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein |
Graham Dunbar, The Associated Press
Sepp Blatter is facing a challenge from a 39-year-old Jordanian prince in his bid for a fifth term as president of soccer's scandal-tainted governing body.
Declaring that "it is time for a change," FIFA vice-president Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein announced Tuesday he will be a candidate for the FIFA presidency on May 29 in Zurich, where Blatter will seek re-election at the age of 79.
"This was not an easy decision," the prince said in a single-page statement in which he pledged to run a positive campaign and did not specifically mention Blatter. "It came after careful consideration and many discussions with respected FIFA colleagues over the last few months."
"The message I heard, over and over, was that it is time for a change," said Prince Ali, who has been encouraged to run by European football governing body UEFA and its president, Michel Platini.