The new president of the world’s footballing body FIFA will be elected in February 26th 2016. That is what the FIFA executive committee agreed upon and something DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach was informed of at a meeting in Zürich on Monday. Niersbach spoke on the new date, the reform process at FIFA and possible candidates for Sepp Blatter’s successor.
Question: Mr Niersbach, you wanted an election for the FIFA president before Christmas. It will now be at the end of February, do you think it’s a setback?
Wolfgang Niersbach: I wouldn’t say it’s a setback. It’s just proof again that you need a majority with FIFA. We have to accept it. At the end of the day, it was the Africans who were against the proposed date of January 15th due to a tournament taking place in Rwanda then.
Question: How will the reform process continue?
Niersbach: With the reform process, an independent commission made up of representatives of confederations, which are under the leadership of an independent person. It’s not yet confirmed who this person will be. Sepp Blatter is not included in this process. The whole situation with FIFA is like before, critical. We can’t wait any longer for a new president to be elected. It’s a matter of urgency. We have to tackle the issue now. The Exko meeting in September should give the first results from it.
Question: Who is the favourite to take over from Sepp Blatter? Is it Michel Platini?
Niersbach: The process for candidates is open from today. There’s still no one who has officially thrown their name into the ring. I assume that it will happen soon. Michel Platini is obviously a suitable candidate. Whether he will take the step is his own decision.
Question: If Platini becomes president, would you be his successor?
The new president of the world’s footballing body FIFA will be elected in February 26th 2016. That is what the FIFA executive committee agreed upon and something DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach was informed of at a meeting in Zürich on Monday. Niersbach spoke on the new date, the reform process at FIFA and possible candidates for Sepp Blatter’s successor.
Question: Mr Niersbach, you wanted an election for the FIFA president before Christmas. It will now be at the end of February, do you think it’s a setback?
Wolfgang Niersbach: I wouldn’t say it’s a setback. It’s just proof again that you need a majority with FIFA. We have to accept it. At the end of the day, it was the Africans who were against the proposed date of January 15th due to a tournament taking place in Rwanda then.
Question: How will the reform process continue?
Niersbach: With the reform process, an independent commission made up of representatives of confederations, which are under the leadership of an independent person. It’s not yet confirmed who this person will be. Sepp Blatter is not included in this process. The whole situation with FIFA is like before, critical. We can’t wait any longer for a new president to be elected. It’s a matter of urgency. We have to tackle the issue now. The Exko meeting in September should give the first results from it.
Question: Who is the favourite to take over from Sepp Blatter? Is it Michel Platini?
Niersbach: The process for candidates is open from today. There’s still no one who has officially thrown their name into the ring. I assume that it will happen soon. Michel Platini is obviously a suitable candidate. Whether he will take the step is his own decision.
Question: If Platini becomes president, would you be his successor?
Niersbach: German football is my scene. That is the number one priority. I was elected as DFB president and I’m enjoying this role. Even if Platini should put himself forward, we don’t know if he’ll be elected. It’s always an honour when my name is mentioned. But today, I’m not a candidate as it stands. We’ll see whether that changes.
