Uefa chief Michel Platini undecided on running for Fifa presidency

Uefa President Michel Platini has not decided whether to run for the top role at Fifa despite enjoying widespread support throughout the game, a Uefa spokesman said on 20 July.

The election of a new Fifa president will take place on 26 February 2016 and Sepp Blatter, the current Fifa head, has announced his decision to not stand for the role.

Uefa spokesman Pedro Pinto said Platini is content with his current position and has not decided whether he will run in the Fifa election.

"For now, the Uefa president is very pleased to be in his current position as leader of European football's governing body. He has been pleased to hear a lot of words of support from some of the world's leading football decision makers and that has not gone unnoticed. So he will have to make a decision regarding what his next steps are. He is not ready to make that decision now. But he has been impressed by the fact that many people could see him as a possible successor," said Pinto.

The Fifa charter stipulates that candidates for the organisation's presidency need to have the written support of five of its member associations and must announce their intention to run four months ahead of the vote. The deadline for nominations is 26 October.

Platini is supported by the heads of football confederations in North and Central America, South America, Asia and the Caribbean. Pinto said that Platini is hesitant to run for Fifa presidency because of the political nature of the organisation.

"Fifa is a more political organisation. And he is man of football. He is not a man of politics. He said that himself. That is why initially last year he decided against running. And that is why now he must consider that before taking that decision," said Pinto.

Platini voted for Qatar as the host of the 2022 World Cup. He has said a new vote on the 2022 games should be held if it is proved that the original process was corrupt.

"He is a man of conviction. He is a man who has always been transparent and one of the few, if not the only one, to admit who he voted for. He has nothing to hide and is someone who I think is respected around the world of football," added the spokesman.