65th FIFA Congress

The war in Gaza came to the fore at world football's biggest meeting on Friday as the Palestinian association called for Israel to be immediately suspended from FIFA.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino told the congress in Bangkok that the sport's global governing body will take independent legal advice to consider the Palestinian demand.

Former Brazil star Zico on Wednesday confirmed he will stand in the election to succeed Sepp Blatter as president of FIFA, although he admitted he may struggle to find enough support.
 
"I would like to confirm the decision to be a candidate," the 62-year-old told a news conference.
 

FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced his resignation on Tuesday.

Speaking at a news conference in Zurich, Blatter said that he will lay down his mandate at an extraordinary congress to elect his replacement. Until that election, he will continue to exercise his functions.

Sepp Blatter has been re-elected as FIFA President for a fifth term.

Blatter, 79, was given a new 4-year term by the 209 FIFA member associations at FIFA's annual Congress in Zurich on Friday, according to reports of the BBC News.

An anonymous bomb threat was received at the Congress of FIFA, which is taking place in Zurich on Friday.

According to media reports, a local police spokeswoman confirmed that there has been a bomb threat against the FIFA Congress and officers have been dispatched.

FIFA also acknowledged receipt of the bomb threat, while journalists reported that they were asked to leave.

 It is expected that all 209 FIFA members will determine the future president of the organization Friday. The vote will be executed amidst the corruption scandal, involving high level officials.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter demonstrated no intention to resign as the tensions surrounding the corruption scandal at the international football association are building up.

Blatter chaired an emergency meeting with the heads of the six continental confederations on Thursday as the political pressure over the corruption scandal at FIFA mounted.

FIFA Vice President Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein?s announcement that he will challenge the world football body?s four-time president, Sepp Blatter, in elections later this year has definitively turned the poll into a battle for the group?s future.

Asia's top sports leaders on Jan. 9 refused to back Prince Ali bin Al Hussein's election challenge to FIFA president Sepp Blatter and insisted it was doomed to failure.
      
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) chief Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa told AFP there would be no about-turn on the regional body's previous commitment to back Blatter.
      

FIFA Vice-President Prince Ali bin Al Hussein said Jan. 6 he would stand against Sepp Blatter for presidency of football's world governing body, declaring that years of controversy surrounding "the beautiful sport" must end.