Fifa: Michel Platini to announce presidency bid

Uefa president Michel Platini will announce later this week he wants to be the next president of Fifa.

The BBC has learned that Platini - after receiving indications of support from four continental confederations - will be a candidate when the poll is held on 26 February next year.

The 60-year-old former France international midfielder could declare as early as Wednesday.

Swiss Sepp Blatter, 79, has been in charge of Fifa since 1998.

He is standing down in February as a result of a corruption crisis at world football's governing body.

And Platini is the overwhelming favourite to replace him.

Along with the backing of his own European confederation he is understood to have gained support from South America (Conmebol), North, Central America and the Caribbean (Concacaf) and, significantly, Asia (AFC).

If every football association within those confederations voted for Platini he would secure 144 votes - more than enough to be elected as Blatter's successor.

That however is unlikely to happen - given some football associations will back rival candidates or abstain. However, Platini would still be expecting to poll a significant number of votes.

The election is due to be held in Zurich at an emergency congress attended by the Fifa member associations. Candidates have until 26 October to be nominated.

Meanwhile, Fifa's reform taskforce is leaderless more than a week after being announced.

The governing body said on Monday that an independent person from outside football is being sought to chair the group.

It is thought the confederations and Fifa are now suggesting possible names but there is no indication on when a decision could be made.

Fifa wants the group to report its finding by the end of September.

/By BBC/