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Joseph S. Blatter and Issa Hayatou candidates for the FIFA Presidency.

Current FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter (Switzerland) and Issa Hayatou (Cameroon), a FIFA Vice-President and President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), are the two official candidates for the Presidency of world football?s governing body.

The deadline for submission of candidatures was 28 March 2002, two months before the Ordinary FIFA Congress to be held in Seoul (Korea) on 28-29 May 2002.

According to the FIFA Statutes for the election of President of the Federation, which will take place on 29 May, two-thirds of the votes recorded in the first ballot are necessary. In a second ballot and any subsequent ballots which may be necessary, an absolute majority of the votes recorded is required (art. 16.3).

FIFA president Joseph Blatter is due in Nigeria on Friday as part of his re-election campaign, an aide has told a local newspaper. Emmanuel Maradas told The Vanguard newspaper on Wednesday that Blatter will meet officials of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) in Abuja as part of his campaign to drum up suport for a second term in office.

Blatter's challenger for the FIFA presidency, African Football Confederation president Issa Hayatou, was recently assured of Nigeria's support when he met with NFA vice-president Atiku Abubakar in Abuja. Hayatou was also feted by top Nigerian sports officials, who declared their support for the African football