AlHijjah 2, 1435, Sep 26, 2014, SPA -- As expected, Joseph Blatter on Friday formally announced that he will run for a fifth term as president of the ruling football body FIFA next year, dpa reported. The 78-year-old Swiss Blatter has presided over FIFA since 1998. The next election is at the 2015 FIFA Congress, for a term until 2019. "I will accept the demands of different associations and federations to serve FIFA for a fifth mandate," Blatter told a news conference following a meeting of the executive committee. Blatter has massive support from five of the six FIFA confederations, but not from Europe which is upset that he changed his mind after pledging in 2011 to step down after his current term. But UEFA president Michel Platini has said he will not run for presidency next year against Blatter. The only other candidate is former FIFA deputy general secretary Jerome Champagne of France who appears to have no chance against Blatter. -- SPA 18:01 LOCAL TIME 15:01 GMT تغريد
