UEFA President Michel Platini
UEFA President Michel Platini is said to have the backing to be elected FIFA president. Pictured: Platini looks on before the preliminary draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup at Konstantin Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, July 25, 2015. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

Union of European Football Associations chief Michel Platini is set to announce his candidacy for president of the world soccer’s governing body FIFA later this week, multiple reports indicated Tuesday. The BBC reported Platini is expected to receive a majority of the support from the sports’ governing bodies Conmebol (South America), Concacaf (North, Central America and the Carribean) and AFC (Asia). The report adds if all members of the those federations vote for Platini, the Frenchman would garner 144 votes, and enough to win the FIFA presidency.

Platini, 60, is a former midfielder for the French soccer national team and played for club teams Nancy, Saint-Etienne and Juventus. During his prime, he was a popular player known for his prolific goal scoring. After officially retiring in 1998 as a player, Platini became a manager for the French NT and became an official for UEFA in various capacities.

Others rumored to run for FIFA president to succeed Sepp Blatter are Prince Ali al-Hussein of Jordan, Chung Mong-joon of South Korea, Musa Bility of Liberia, Zico of Brazil and David Ginola of France. Blatter was elected for a fifth term last May but the current corruption controversies in FIFA forced him to announce his retirement weeks after the balloting.

The FIFA presidential election will be held Feb. 26 in a special elective congress in Zurich, Switzerland. The deadline for the nominations is Oct. 26.

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