December looks likely date for next FIFA presidential election

The date for the next FIFA presiderntial elections will be chosen at an extraordinary meeting of its executive committee in July.

December 16 is regarded as a possible option to elect the successor to Sepp Blatter, who is standing down despite winning last month’s election.

Blatter announced he would resign last Tuesday following corruption charges against FIFA officials which has caused the biggest crisis in the history of the world governing body.

Blatter said he would remain as president until the election which is due to be held between December and March, and it is understood mid-December is viewed as the preferred option.

A FIFA spokesperson said: “It requires an extraordinary executive committee to confirm a date and agenda for the extraordinary elective congress. This extraordinary executive committee will convene in July, the precise date to be confirmed this week. There are currently various date options for discussion at this extraordinary executive committee meeting.”

With the preliminary draw for the 2018 World Cup just 45 days away, FIFA is pushing ahead with preparations for the tournament and the organisation’s secretary general, Jérôme Valcke, attended a meeting of the organisers in Samara on Wednesday.

The Local Organising Committee Chairman Vitaly Mutko, who led the meeting together with Valcke, provided an update on preparations for the preliminary draw which will be staged at St. Petersburg’s Konstantinovsky Palac.

Valcke has found himself at the heart of allegations that South Africa paid a $10m (£6.5m) bribe to Jack Warner via FIFA’s executive office.

“Overall the preparations for the FIFA Cup and the FIFA World Cup as well as our first major event, the preliminary draw, are well under way and on schedule,” he said.

Russia’s 2018 local organising committee chairman, Vitaly Mutko, said: “Here in Samara we made certain again that Russia is ready to present the wonderful gift to the rest of the World – 2018 FIFA World Cup. So as St Petersburg, one of the beautiful cities of Russia, is ready to host the first official event of 2018 FIFA World Cup, the preliminary draw.

“We as a host country continue to fulfil our obligations to prepare all the events and projects of 2018 FIFA World Cup in time, we are well on track and on schedule. There’s no doubt all the events of 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia will go through at top level.”