Canada, US will not support Blatter for FIFA presidency

Canada, which is hosting the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, will not support incumbent Sepp Blatter in Friday's presidential vote at the FIFA Congress, the head of the Canadian Soccer Association said on Thursday on his official Twitter account.

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Victor Montagliani said Canada will instead support the only other candidate, Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan.

"Our (Board of Directors) met and has made the decision of voting for Prince Bin Ali Hussein as we cannot support the current political leadership of FIFA," he tweeted.

"We want to be front and center on ensuring that the reforms that happens in world football are done in a transparent way but quicker fashion."

Blatter, who is standing for a fifth mandate as FIFA president, has flatly rejected calls to step down even as soccer's global governing body has been engulfed in the worst crisis of its 111-year history.

Nine soccer officials and five sports media and promotions executives were hit on Wednesday by US federal prosecutors with corruption charges allegedly involving more than $150 million in bribes.

The first match of FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 will be on June 6 in Edmonton, Alberta, with the final in Vancouver on July 5.

US will vote against Blatter's re-election

US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said he is joining the bid to oust embattled FIFA president Sepp Blatter, in a move that could risk America's chances of hosting another World Cup.

"US Soccer will vote for Prince Ali bin Al Hussein for next president of FIFA," Gulati tweeted on the eve of the global football body's presidential vote.

"This is a vote for good governance & promise for our game," added Gulati, who is also a member of FIFA's powerful executive committee and is in Zurich, Switzerland, for the FIFA congress.

The 79-year-old Blatter is facing increasing calls to step aside after US authorities leveled accusations of "rampant, systemic and deep-rooted corruption" in the sport.

Blatter himself has not been implicated, but seven officials were arrested in a dawn raid on a Zurich hotel on Wednesday, accused of taking more than $150 million in bribes.

A total of 14 officials and marketing executives are accused by US investigators of racketeering, wire fraud and money-laundering.

NZ to vote for challenger Ali

New Zealand Football will vote for FIFA presidential challenger Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, snubbing their Oceania colleagues and switching allegiance from embattled incumbent Sepp Blatter.

All 11 member nations of the Oceania Football Confederation had pledged to back the 79-year-old Blatter at their January congress in Papua New Guinea, but NZF President Mark Aspden said on Friday they had changed their mind.

"Beyond question the game has been brought into disrepute by recent events and we need a change," Aspden told reporters from Auckland in a conference call about the corruption scandal engulfing the world governing body.

"We have had a look at who we believe to be the best candidate leading the organisation going forward.

"We don't believe reforms can happen under President Blatter's leadership.

"Of course our candidate may not be successful... but that's up to the 209 voters."