Blatter's rival Van Praag withdraws from FIFA presidential election

FIFA presidential candidate Michael van Praag has withdrawn from next week's election and thrown his weight behind Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, he said on Thursday.

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"Michael van Praag decided to withdraw his candidacy to become the next FIFA president and to join forces withpresidential candidate Prince Ali Al Hussein," he said in a statement published by his campaign organisers on Thursday.

It looks like Sepp Blatter will be re-elected as FIFA president for a fifth term at the annual congress of world soccer's governing body in Zurich.

It is almost inconceivable that any of the 79-year-old's three challengers, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan of FIFA's executive committee or former World Footballer of the Year Luis Figo will unseat him.

Five of FIFA's six continental confederations publicly expressed their support for Blatter before the World Cup in Brazil last year, with UEFA declaring its opposition, meaning the vast majority of FIFA's 209 members will vote for him.