Michel Platini Confirms He Will Run for FIFA President

Platini, the UEFA president and a FIFA vice president, has written to member federations in Europe saying he will stand and is counting on their support, AP reported on Wednesday. 

The FIFA election is on Feb. 26 and would-be candidates must apply by Oct. 26.

Platini has for years been the obvious candidate to succeed Blatter, his mentor in FIFA politics. But a rift between the long-time allies deepened when Blatter broke a promise to leave office in 2015.

Platini chose last year not to oppose Blatter, who won a fifth presidential term on May 29. Four days later, Blatter announced his resignation plans under pressure from American and Swiss federal investigations of corruption implicating FIFA.