The president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Issa Hayatou, has promised FIFA president that Africa will support his re-election bid.
Blatter, 79, is campaigning for a fifth term in next month’s presidential election. FIFA vice president Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, Dutch FA head Michael van Praag, and former Portugal international Luis Figo are his opponents.
But at CAF’s annual congress in Cairo, Hayatou stated that Africa was “comfortable” with the Swiss.
“Africa is comfortable having you. Africa stays with you,” he said.
His comments were applauded by the continent’s football leaders present. In his response, Blatter hailed Hayatous as “a pillar” of African football and added: “I’m a happy man.”
Africa is the largest of the six continental confederations with 54 of the 209 FIFA member countries eligible to vote in the presidential election in Zurich on May 29.
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