#Sport > Prince Ali Confirms His Candidacy for FIFA Presidency

Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein has signified his interest in contesting for the next FIFA president position.

The 39-year-old was the only opponent to outgoing president Sepp Blatter at the 29 May elections in Zurich, where he polled 73 votes in the first round of voting but stood aside before the commencement of a runoff.

“This election should be about football, not personal ambition. We have come too far to walk away now,” Ali said.

“We must overcome deep-seated corruption but I was not brought up to walk away from a tough fight. This is about right and wrong.”

The Jordanian and Uefa president Michel Platini are, so far, the only two confirmed candidates for the 26 February polls, which will determine Blatter’s successor.

Blatter announced his departure from world football governing body shortly after winning a fifth term at the last elective congress amid separate but simultaneous criminal investigation into alleged corruption at Fifa.

Seven Fifa officials were arrested in May on charges of racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering.

Other intending candidates for next year’s election includes former Fifa executive Chung Mong-joon of South Korea, Liberian FA president Musa Bility, ex-internationals Zico, Maradona, Segun Odegbami and David Ginola.

Ali added: “I stand for the position of FIFA President as one of you: for the past sixteen years I have dared to imagine a future in which we are the very best that we can be A Fifa Worthy of The World’s Game.

“I have been the President of a National Association. I know well the challenges faced every day to develop football in countries around the world. I also know Fifa well from the inside, having served as FIFA Vice President and as a member of both the Fifa Executive Committee and the AFC Executive Committee for the past four years.

“Most importantly, I am a straight-forward person with straight-forward ideas and ethics — a person who loves our sport. I believe in uncompromising integrity. In good leadership. In fair play. In a service oriented approach. And in hard work.”