PRINCE ALI TO CHALLENGE SEPP BLATTER FOR FIFA PRESIDENCY

FiFa vice-president HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein will challenge incumbent Sepp Blatter for the leadership of world football's governing body.

HRH Prince Ali, 39, will stand as a candidate at Fifa's presidential election on May 29, where Blatter, 78, will seek a fifth term of office.

Prince Ali said: "It is time to shift the focus away from administrative controversy and back to sport.

"The headlines should be about football, not about Fifa.”

HRH Prince Ali became President of the Jordan Football Association in 1999 and was elected the Asian Football Confederation’s Fifa vice-president in 2011.

Prince Ali said he had been encouraged to stand by colleagues.

"The message I heard, over and over, was that it is time for a change,” said Prince Ali who also heads the West Asian Football Federation.

"The world game deserves a world-class governing body - an international federation that is a service organisation and a model of ethics, transparency and good governance.

"Fifa exists to serve a sport which unites billions of people from all over the world, people of differing and divergent political, religious and social affiliations, who come together in their enjoyment of 'the world's game'.”

Former diplomat Jerome Champagne, 56, who joined Fifa in 1999, is the only other challenger to have confirmed his intention to challenge for the presidency.

Candidates wishing to declare their interest must do so before January 29.