Prince Ali bin al-Hussein to run for FIFA presidency

FIFA vice-president and contender for the role of FIFA president Prince Ali bin al-Hussein.

Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has announced his intention to run for the presidency of world governing body FIFA.

Prince Ali lost by 130 votes to 73 to incumbent Sepp Blatter in May's FIFA presidential election and it would be a major surprise if he did any better this time as he does not have the support of UEFA or his own Asian Football Confederation.

UEFA president Michel Platini is the clear favourite, but that has not stopped Ali standing again on a platform of transparency and reform.

"We must take back the game we love," he said. "We must return to what makes football the greatest sport on earth: hope, dignity, excellence and opportunity."

If Ali was to become FIFA president, he would make football's governing body more transparent and would introduce term limits for elected officials.

He says he would serve only one term and he would make sure that FIFA distributes more money to its federations. Ali says at the moment FIFA keeps 80 per cent of its income.

Speaking at Soccerex in Manchester on Monday, Ali said he wants the FIFA president to have less power. He also said that it was "lovely" that the next two World Cups were being held in Russia and Qatar.

The presidential election, which will be held on February 26 next year, was called after 79-year-old Blatter announced plans to quit as dual American and Swiss criminal inquiries into alleged corruption at football's governing body escalated.

Ali is the brother King Abdullah of Jordan. He is a Sandhurst graduate who served as a specialist parachutist in Jordan's special forces.

As well as Platini, Ali will face Chung Mong-joon in the election. The South Korean lost his FIFA vice-presidential seat to Hussein five years ago.