Sebastian Coe said the IAAF presidential election campaign, through which he received 115 (56 per cent) of the votes of 207 member federations, has created an opportunity for the organisation to renew itself.

Lord Coe will take up the presidency of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) at the close of the IAAF World Championships in Beijing on 31st August.

The second candidate, Sergey Bubka received 92 votes and was elected as vice president. 

“I’m very flattered, very, very honoured to have been elected president,” Coe said at a press conference after the election on Wednesday.

"You have a president that will devote himself full-time to the IAAF. It has been a long and hard campaign but it has given us the chance to pause for breath, the chance to review and renew itself," added Coe.

The presidential election comes at a time of great pressure for the organisation as it faces allegations of widespread doping within the sport. 

On 2 August, the Sunday Times and German broadcaster ARD reported that IAAF data leaked by a whistleblower showed that a third of medals won in endurance events from 2001 to 2012 were awarded to athletes who had recorded “suspicious” blood tests.

The IAAF dismissed the reports as “sensationalist and confusing”, pointing out that the results did not refer to positive tests, but the questions are still being raised of the federation, with the Sunday Times alleging on 16th August that the IAAF blocked publication of the data.

As an Olympic medallist and former chairman of London 2012 and vice president of the IAAF, Sebastian Coe brings a wealth of experience to the organisation’s leadership. 

"We have a man who has devoted his life to the sport," said outgoing president Lamine Diack, who has held the presidency since 1999.

Coe paid tribute to Diack, saying "Lamine has left us with an extraordinarily strong foundation and one aspect of that foundation is that we are a truly global sport. I will do my best to continue from those firm foundations

"In 2001 and 2002, I sought the advice of Lamine Diack about playing a greater role in the sport and in 2003 I became a Council member. In 2007 I sought his advice again before I became a Vice President.

"It has been an apprenticeship that has helped me understand greater the balances and nuances within the sport.

"I want to thank the (member) federations but I also want to thank those that cover and broadcast our sport. We tend to forget that the media is most potent sponsor of our sport; and I will maintain my chairmanship of the media committee.”

A number of new members were elected to the IAAF Council, including European representatives Jose Maria Odriozola (ESP), Bernard Amsalem (FRA), Sylvia Barlag (NED), Mikhail Butov (RUS), Antti Pihlakoski (FIN), and Anna Riccardi (ITA).

“This has been a good day for European athletics,” said Svein Arne Hansen, president of European Athletics. 

“I am very pleased for all the European representatives elected to the IAAF Council. I call on them to work hard and cooperate with the members from the rest of the world for the good of our sport. 

“There are a lot of urgent issues to address over the coming years, including the integrity of the sport, our competition programme and development.”

Having led the bid for Glasgow’s universally-acclaimed Commonwealth Games and served as long-standing Honorary Secretary for the Commonwealth Games Federation, it came as no great surprise – except to her – when the news emerged that she was planning on running for the position of President of the Federation.

“It was made public much earlier than I was expecting it to come out, because we are not calling for nominations until May,” she told HOST CITY.

Despite this, she was happy to talk about her motivation.

“It’s the right time for me now because I have served for four quadrennials on the Federation as the Honorary Secretary.”

Her decision to stand was driven in part by changes to the Federation, which is being remodelled as a corporate structure with a President and three Vice Presidents. 

“The Honorary Secretary position ceases to exist, so I had to decide what to do,” she said. 

“One of the positions would be doing what I have already been doing and having done four quadrennials, it’s time for me to move – and the only way I can move is up.”

She revealed to HOST CITY that she has long had the ambition to lead the Federation. “It’s something I’ve always thought I would love to do.

“Having chaired a national sporting agency, sportscotland, with 350 staff and a turnover of millions, I know I can do it. I’ve been chair of Commonwealth Games Scotland and I’m also chair of the Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport, so I have got experience behind me.

“The time is right for me to put my hat in the ring.”

Although she has not yet formalised a manifesto, she was happy to discuss the changes that she has in mind for the federation – particularly in relation to the role of the member associations. 

“We have to have a proper structure and good governance in place, to make sure that all the associations are more vibrant and more effective. 

“As far as I am concerned we are all equal; we all have one vote, irrespective of size or wealth. We have to deliver equally, across the board. 

“One of the things I want to ensure that we do is to communicate more effectively and more openly.”

With the 2022 Games now faced with just one bidding city, Durban – for which Martin is leading the evaluation commission – the Federation is looking at ways to boost the appeal of its major property.

The situation is analogous to the issues the IOC grappled with over the last twelve months as it handled its own 2022 Games crisis through the Agenda 2020 review of its bidding procedure. 

“I certainly want more cities to bid for the Games. We want to make it more appealing and we need to make sure that we keep it affordable,” said Martin.

“So one of the things we have to do is work very closely with the international federations to ensure that the sports and the events that we deliver are not cost- prohibitive.

“We’ve got to make sure that the events are accessible for the whole of the Commonwealth and that those bidding cities can deliver a good and successful Games.”

Although the Commonwealth contains many small countries that can’t aspire to host a

Commonwealth Games or Commonwealth Youth Games, there are still opportunities to host smaller events. 

“One of the things we want to try and take control of is to encourage the countries that cannot host either of those to host a Commonwealth Championship in a specific sport that they are good at.”

As a former athlete, Martin is keen for the Commonwealth Games Federation to boost the development of sport in the Commonwealth. 

“I want to make sure that Commonwealth sport offers more to athletes and to individuals in communities that we are working with. 

“I’ve got to ensure that we really make the most of all the opportunities that we have. We are a dynamic sporting movement and we do transform lives through sport.

“We’ve got so much potential in the Commonwealth; the momentum has started and we’ve got to keep it moving.”

Much of this momentum comes from Glasgow 2014, which was widely regarded as the greatest Commonwealth Games in history. Having led the bid, Louise Martin describes it as “a dream that took 12 years to come to fruition, and it did in a big way.

“I can’t believe it’s all over; it’s funny to say that it’s not there anymore, but everybody’s still talking about it. 

“It set the scene and we delivered exactly the way we wanted to deliver: athlete-centred, sports-led, we kept it small, we kept it the way that we in Scotland are – we didn’t try to emulate anybody.”

There may be some advice for Durban here. 

“Never try to be something you aren’t; don’t try and copy. Deliver for yourself; stay true to yourself and your own ambitions and everything will work out. 

“We proved it can be done, and I would encourage anybody to follow that example. Just believe in yourself and do it.”

Louise Martin is speaking at HOST CITY 2015 - the leading EU-based meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events - in Glasgow on 9th and 10th November.

Louise Martin has been elected president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, unseating Prince Imran of Malaysia to become the first woman to hold the position. 

As revealed by HOST CITY in March, Martin built her successful campaign on deepening the CGF’s engagement with member associations and potential host cities. 

Her manifesto, launched in August, also pledged to increase CGF revenues with the signing of at least four headline sponsors. The CGF had reported a loss of more than GB£3 million in the financial year ending 31st March 2015. 

The outcome of the election was far from predictable, although Martin’s pivotal role in bidding for and delivering the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games was a major advantage. 

Martin served as CGF honorary secretary for four terms and is also chair of Sportscotland.

Martin is to speak at HOST CITY 2015, the leading meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, in Glasgow on 9th and 10th November.

Prince Imran served one term as CGF president and many onlookers expected him to remain in post, despite his controversial attempt to move the organisation’s headquarters to Kuala Lumpur.

“Now is the time to ensure progress is delivered in an open and transparent way and that the views of the CGAs are fully reflected in the running of the CGF,” Martin said. 

“I believe that the time is right for a new style of leadership to ensure that together we can fully unlock our potential and deliver on the needs of CGAs and our wider partners, especially in terms of maximising commercial opportunities.  If we get this right, we can deliver enhanced revenues to support every CGA as well as Commonwealth sports development through greater investment. 

“There is also much more we can do to grow the profile of our great sporting Movement across the world to ensure that its unique identity is valued and our Games attract the best Commonwealth athletes, sponsors and, critically, future host cities.  As someone with a proven track record of collaboration and delivery, as well as dedication and passion for our Movement, I believe I am the right person to guide the CGF through the next stage of its Commonwealth journey and unlock the immense potential of our unique sporting Movement.”

The election took place at the CGF General Assembly, where Durban was confirmed as the host city of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. 

FIFA’s executive committee met today to take the first steps towards transforming the organisation, discussing key areas of reform and setting the date for the presidential election and Extraordinary Congress at 26th February 2016 in Zurich.

This is significantly later than expected, with most observers predicting a December election. 

The meeting was chaired by outgoing FIFA President Blatter, who will not be standing for president again as “a new FIFA President will be elected”, according to a FIFA statement.

Candidates can now declare their interest in running for the office of FIFA President, with a deadline of 26 October. The Ad-hoc Electoral Committee will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, 21 July.

Domenico Scala, chairman of the Audit and Compliance Committee delivered presentations on the proposed topics for reform. These include “enhanced centralized integrity checks for Executive Committee members, the introduction of term limits, higher standards of governance at all levels of football structures including confederations and member associations as well as individual disclosure of compensation.” 

FIFA is to set up a “Reforms” Task Force with a “neutral chairman”.

The “concrete and comprehensive reform proposals” will be presented at the next ordinary FIFA Executive Committee meeting in Zurich on 24 and 25 September and submitted for approval at the extraordinary Congress in February.

FIFA said its bidding procedure is being reformed in line with the guidance of the United Nations’ strategy for “Safeguarding against Corruption in Major Public Events”. Future World Cup bids will have to recognise the provisions of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, with which suppliers must comply. 

The Executive Committee also stated its firm commitment to reform and “its full cooperation with the on-going US and Swiss investigations”. 

Djimrabaye Bourngar from Chad has been appointed as the deputy chairman of the investigatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee.

The themes of sports governance and bidding procedures will be discussed at HOST CITY 2015 in Glasgow on 9th and 10th November.

Joseph “Sepp” Blatter’s surprise announcement on June 2 that he was resigning as president of FIFA was sensational, not least because it happened just four days after his re-election for a historic fifth term. 

Blatter’s rivals for the presidency – Jerome Champagne, Luis Figo, Michel Van Praag and of course Prince Ali, who was the only challenger left standing at the FIFA Congress – all based their campaigns on a common message: the organisation was tainted with allegations of corruption and needed to clean its image.

Blatter, on the other hand, barely uttered a word to the press during the run up to the election – even when investigators raided the Baur au Lac Hotel in Zurich to arrest a number of officials on corruption charges.

In the election, Blatter emerged victorious but storms continued to gather, including allegations that FIFA administered a $10m bribe from South Africa to CONCACAF president Jack Warner. As media reports emerged that Blatter was himself under investigation by FBI and US prosecutors, he announced to the world – at just a couple of hours’ notice – that he was to step aside. 

What was perhaps most extraordinary about Blatter’s resignation speech was that he used it as an opportunity to position himself as a reformer at heart, shackled by circumstances. His resignation, he said, was necessary to make way for “structural changes” that he had himself been advocating for many years. 

These changes including loosening the grip of the continental confederations through which FIFA’s members are aligned, a reduction in size of the Executive Committee – presumably to give non-ExCo FIFA members greater influence – and capping terms of office. 

Whatever you may think of Blatter’s claims to be a democratiser, a process of reform is now inevitable. While it might have taken external events to drive FIFA to the brink, at last it can contemplate the reform it needs. 

Football remains the world’s most popular sport and the FIFA World Cup its biggest single sport event. And if democratisation may not be Blatter’s true legacy, FIFA has undeniably embraced all regions of the world under his presidency. 

Anything can happen now, depending on the outcome of further investigations, which are by no means focused exclusively on the hosts of the future World Cups. The world waits. 

With several FIFA officials charged with corruption just two days before the presidential election, HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan has called for an end to FIFA’s ongoing crisis. 

“We cannot continue with the crisis in FIFA, a crisis that has been ongoing and is not just relevant to the events of today,” he said in a statement to the press.

“FIFA needs leadership that governs, guides and protects our national associations. Leadership that accepts responsibility for its actions and does not pass blame. Leadership that restores confidence in the hundreds of millions of football fans around the world.”

After a raid at Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich on Wednesday morning, ten FIFA Executive Committee members will be questioned by Swiss authorities “on suspicion of the acceptance of bribes and kick-backs” in relation to 2018/22 World Cup bids. The arrests were instigated by US Department of Justice. 

Prince Ali is the only challenger to FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who was widely predicted to be reelected on Friday. FIFA has faced calls from the English Football Association and Transparency International to postpone the election. 

Sepp Blatter has not been charged. FIFA spokesman Walter de Gregorio told press that Blatter was “relaxed” about the day’s events because he was “not involved in them at all”, going on to explain: “Well he is not dancing in his office. He is very calm; he is fully co-operative with everything. That’s what I meant. He’s not a happy man, saying ‘wow wow’.”

De Gregorio also said the presidential election would go on ahead on Friday as planned and that a revote on the 2018 and 2012 World Cup hosts was out of the question.

“This for FIFA is good. It is not good in terms of image or reputation, but in terms of cleaning up, this is good,” he said.

“It is not a nice day, but it is also a good day. The process goes on and we are looking forward.” 

With charges of corruption within FIFA escalating, president Sepp Blatter announced on Tuesday that he will resign to make way for “deep-rooted structural change”. 

At a press conference in Zurich called at extremely short notice, Blatter announced he will resign “at the earliest opportunity”.

The announcement came shortly after reports that FIFA administered an alleged $10m bribe from the South African government to CONCACAF president Jack Warner in 2008, and an ABC News report claiming that Blatter was himself under investigation by FBI and US prosecutors. 

Two days before Blatter’s re-election, several officials were arrested in a dawn raid on the Baur au Lac Hotel. The US Department of Justice has since charged 14 officials employed by FIFA and associated agencies with 47 charges of corruption including racketeering, fraud and money laundering.  

"While I have a mandate from the membership of FIFA, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football,” Blatter said. 

"Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective Congress.”

The extraordinary Congress is likely to be convened between September 2015 and March 2016. 

“This will need to be done in line with FIFA's statutes and we must allow enough time for the best candidates to present themselves and to campaign,” said Blatter.

Waiting until the next ordinary FIFA Congress on 13 May 2016 would “cause unnecessary delay”, he said.

Blatter said by stepping down he would be able to focus on reforming FIFA. “Since I shall not be a candidate, and am therefore now free from the constraints that elections inevitably impose, I shall be able to focus on driving far-reaching, fundamental reforms that transcend our previous efforts. 

“For years, we have worked hard to put in place administrative reforms, but it is plain to me that while these must continue, they are not enough.”

He also said the structure of FIFA’s Executive Committee and its relations with the continental confederations must be overhauled. 

“The Executive Committee includes representatives of confederations over whom we have no control, but for whose actions FIFA is held responsible. We need deep-rooted structural change.

“The size of the Executive Committee must be reduced and its members should be elected through the FIFA Congress. The integrity checks for all Executive Committee members must be organised centrally through FIFA and not through the confederations.”

Blatter, who has presided over FIFA for 17 years, also called for term limits, “not only for the president but for all members of the Executive Committee.”

"I have fought for these changes before and, as everyone knows, my efforts have been blocked. This time, I will succeed.”

Blatter has asked Domenico Scala, Independent Chairman of FIFA’s Audit and Compliance Committee to oversee the transition over the coming months. 

“Mr. Scala enjoys the confidence of a wide range of constituents within and outside of FIFA and has all the knowledge and experience necessary to help tackle these major reforms.”

Blatter thanked all his supporters, saying “What matters to me more than anything is that when all of this is over, football is the winner."

Prince Ali bin al Hussein of Jordan denied Blatter a majority in the first round of voting in Friday’s election and he has not ruled out standing again. 

Prince Ali told CNN "I think this is the right move from Sepp Blatter and I think we have to look to the future.

"I am always there to serve football and I think that's the most important thing and to do so much work to fix this organisation in a proper way.

"I am at the disposal of our national associations. I don't want to be somebody who kicks somebody in the knees. At the end of the day I will do my part to help the national associations.”

Other possible candidates include Michel Platini, Luis Figo, Jerome Champagne and Michel van Praag.

His resignation was welcomed by IOC president Thomas Bach, who said “We highly respect this decision of President Blatter to step down and to initiate the necessary reforms – and to make way for a new leadership of FIFA to drive these changes.”

Sepp Blatter remains an IOC member until his 80th birthday on 10 March 2016. 

I bring you greetings from my home country of Jordan; a land of peace; a country that serves as a bridge between cultures; and a mediator in times of conflict; a country that is at the crossroads of all continents and civilizations.

A country that believes in the pursuit of values, such as integrity, honesty and respect.

We are in a crucial time for football. Both inside and outside the football family, people have expressed concern about the way FIFA is run.

And there are some deep rooted issues that we as a family must unite to confront together.

Around the world there is a real appetite for change, new leadership, better support to National Associations, meaningful investment in football development, and for FIFA to be a genuine service organisation.

This movement calls for a better FIFA, one based on respect and dignity, admired by our stakeholders, and governed with a spirit of inclusion and transparency.

For the past 16 years as President of a developing FA I understand the many challenges associated with that job. I am also proud to have been elected as a FIFA Vice President for Asia and have always tried to bring the interests and needs of National Associations to the FIFA Executive Committee.

I envisage a FIFA that empowers its Member Associations, while always maintaining the highest standards of good governance.

We need a change of culture and a departure from FIFA’s authoritarian approach to strategy.

Strategic direction must come from the Confederations and Member Associations so that their interests become THE priority in the future.

So, this election is not simply about choosing a person you believe in, it is about choosing a future for football and for FIFA, your FIFA.

FIFA, from a commercial perspective, has in many ways been riding the wave of European football’s success which has also helped directly the success of the FIFA World Cup.

And while the popularity of the World Cup has soared, the image of the organisation has sadly declined.

Imagine a rejuvenated FIFA, with its own reputation rebuilt and restored, coupled with the love of football, the only possible outcome will be explosive commercial growth far exceeding what we see now.

Ongoing and new commercial success coupled with the excess funds from our reserves can combine to create the right formula we need for FIFA’s development programmes.

The aim has to be to expand the game to new markets and territories, and give more countries a chance to produce new talent and achieve success at international level, both youth and senior level and in both men’s and women’s football. And allow Member Associations to aspire to host these events and receive the necessary support.

Many FAs around the world still do not have their basic needs met such as kits, pitches and infrastructure while others have a different pressure of reaching the knockout stages of the World Cup.

Whatever the case, the answer can only lie in harnessing the creative power and minds across FIFA’s Member Associations to give us the solutions to fit their specific needs, on a case by case basis.

And we need to expand financial support to the Member Associations because the more sustainable they are, the better it is for football and for FIFA.

I see a new era where development is a fundamental right of Member Associations… not a gift from FIFA.

There is also a human dimension here. I want to see new development partnerships in coaching, in governance and in player talent. I would like to see scholarship programmes to link coaches, officials and players around the world to benefit all our Member Associations.

I also believe that football has to use its power in the field of social responsibility to help the wider society and this is something very dear to my heart.

We must preserve the integrity of the competition, ensure that the highest standard of football is played at the game’s global flagship event and that neither format nor slots become subject to political whim and manoeuvring.

Too often we see FAs deliberately marginalised and played off against each other.

I am proud to be endorsed by Member Associations from three different Confederations. However, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Members of UEFA who had the courage to grant me their support, Belarus, England, Georgia, and Malta.

FIFA should take great pride in what European football has given the world. You have set the highest standards in all that you do, both on and off the field, and the whole world watches, including my children, when the great dramas of European football play out.

Over the next two months it is essential that together we focus on the opportunity for real change and genuine reform.

This is a crossroads which could set FIFA on a new and positive path. That is the choice that the football family faces on May 29th.

This is an edited transcript of Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein’s address to the UEFA Congress

With just over a month to go before the FIFA presidential election, candidate HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein met with His Holiness Pope Francis at The Vatican on Thursday to discuss the global development of football and how to promote peace and social responsibility through sport.

In the private meeting, Pope Francis and Prince Ali discussed the challenges and opportunities around developing football globally. They also talked about how sport and football can help to promote peace and social responsibility. 

“I have been greatly inspired by Pope Francis’s work to use sport to build bridges between people of differing faiths and cultures,” said Prince Ali.

“Pope Francis is a true innovator in this regard; it was a great honour to meet with him not only in his capacity as the leader of one of the largest faiths in the world, but also in his capacity as a much-admired champion for peace, tolerance and inter-faith dialogue and understanding. Our discussions were very fruitful and we share a common vision of using sport as a force for good in the world.”  

Pope Francis is a football lover and supporter of Buenos Aires-based team the Saints of San Lorenzo. Before the 2014 FIFA World Cup, he published a video message in which he described football as “a game and at the same time an opportunity for dialogue, understanding and reciprocal human enrichment”.

Last year, the Vatican hosted an interfaith charity football match to promote peace, in which he welcomed past and present greats of the football world for the high-profile game at the Vatican.

Prince Ali is said to be a direct descendant of the prophet Mohammed.

The development of football is a key concern of Prince Ali, who has been vice president of FIFA since 2011. In January 2012, he founded the Asian Football Development Project (AFDP), a non-profit youth commission headquartered in Amman, Jordan.

The AFDP works to develop football across Asia with a focus on youth development, empowering women, social responsibility and the protection and evolution of the game. AFDP led the successful campaign to lift the ban on head scarves in football.

Prince Ali has worked to promote unity and develop football since becoming President of the Jordan Football Association in 1999. In 2000, he founded the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF), of which he is president. WAFF’s members are Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

The president of FIFA will be elected on May 29th.

The presidents of the world’s 209 Football Associations will elect the president of FIFA at the FIFA Congress on 29 May. 

With FIFA’s continental “confederations” holding great sway over voting intentions, and with all of these confederations bar UEFA said to be supporting Sepp Blatter, the incumbent president looks set to secure a historic fifth term. 

Candidates must state their intention to run for president on 29 January, with the support of five nominating member associations. Are there any serious challengers in the mix?

Sepp Blatter

Nationality: Swiss

Age: 78

Announced campaign: 26 September, 2014

Core message: Says he is on a mission to complete the reform process initiated in 2011

Strengths: FIFA President since 1998, seeking a fifth term. Retains strong support of the majority of FAs outside Europe. Five of FIFA’s six continental Confederations are said to be backing Blatter: AFC (Asia), CAF (Africa), CONCACAF (North and Central America and Carribean), CONMEBOL (South America) and OFC (Oceania).

Challenges: FIFA enduring external pressures and the emergence of Prince Ali of Jordan as a challenger demonstrates that internal discontent is not limited to Europe.

Jerome Champagne

Nationality: French

Age: 56

Announced campaign: 26 September, 2014

Core message: To remove elitism and global imbalance from the administration of football.

Strengths: Says he is close to gaining the five required nominations.

Challenges: Time is running out and a host of other, more outspoken candidates have emerged.

Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein

Nationality: Jordanian

Age: 39

Announced campaign: 6 January 2015

Core message: Reform of FIFA, increasing transparency. 

Strengths: Experience as vice president of FIFA, president of Jordanian Football Association and president of West Asian Football Federation. Has backing of the English FA. The only challenger to Sepp Blatter from outside Europe.

Challenges: Has yet to confirm whether he has the number of nominations required. His message of reform is echoed by those of other candidates who have since entered the race. 

David Ginola

Nationality: French

Age: 48

Announced campaign: 16 January 2015

Core message: To restore democracy, transparency and equality to FIFA

Strengths: Has the support of pressure group ChangeFifa but has yet to declare the support of any FAs.

Challenges: Ginola’s campaign is financially supported by bookmaker Paddy Power, yet FIFA rules prohibit candidates “being associated with betting, gambling, lotteries and similar events”. 

Michael van Praag

Nationality: Dutch

Age: 67

Announced campaign: 26 January 2015

Core message: To normalise, modernise FIFA and regain public trust. Presenting himself as the only credible opponent to Blatter.

Support: Has the required five nominations, including support from Scotland.

Challenges: Other European candidates offering a message of reform and transparency could split the vote, if they gain the required nominations. Support outside Europe is limited.

Luis Figo

Age: 42

Nationality: Portuguese

Announced campaign: 28 September 2015

Core message: To repair FIFA’s public image.

Support: Has the required 5 nominations.

Challenges: A recently retired footballer, he lacks experience in football administration.