Blatter to seek another term

Blatter broke the news on Monday in a pre-recorded interview at the SoccerEx conference in Manchester, England.

"I will make an official declaration definitely in September now when we have the executive committee," the Swiss FIFA president said. "I will inform the executive committee. It's a question of respect also to say then to the football family, 'Yes I will be ready. I will be a candidate.""

Blatter had said before his 2011 election that his current term would be his last.

"You see a mission is never finished. And my mission is not finished," he said. "Then I got [from] the last [FIFA] congress in Sao Paulo not only the impression but the support of the majority, a huge majority of national associations asking 'Please go on, be our president also in future.'"

The head of European football's governing body, UEFA President Michel Platini, had been rumored to be challenging Blatter in next year's election. However, the French former footballer ended the speculation last month when he said he would not stand for election but instead seek another term as UEFA president.

Former FIFA deputy secretary general Jerome Champagne is the only other candidate currently declared, but the deadline for candidacy is not until January 2015.

Despite ongoing corruption scandals and FIFA's opposition with UEFA, Blatter is widely expected to be re-elected with the support of the most of the national federations.

dr/hc (AP, Reuters)