Football

It is unlikely that anyone will remain at the helm for that long if age and term limits for future presidents are instituted as part of reforms.

Blatter, 79, announced the decision at a news conference in Zurich, six days after the FBI raided a hotel in Zurich and arrested several FIFA officials.

Pele has lent his support to re-elected FIFA president Sepp Blatter amid a corruption scandal engulfing world football's governing body.

Pele is to join the glamorous New York soccer team's traveling party for Tuesday's exhibition match against the Cuban national team in Havana.

Malaysian midfielder Mohd Nazmi Faiz Mansor could be kicked out of the Southeast Asian Games after being sent off in the opening 1-0 win over East Timor for spitting at an opponent.

Brazilian police began investigating allegations of corruption in its football industry, prompted by the arrests of top officials at world soccer body FIFA in a US bribery probe.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says the United States is meddling in FIFA's affairs in an attempt to take the 2018 World Cup away from his country.

Six of the seven top FIFA officials arrested on Wednesday in Zurich are opposing their extradition to US, the Swiss justice ministry said.

Blatter shrugged off Figo's accusation he had turned world soccer's ruling body into a dictatorship as the election campaign moved towards its final stages on Tuesday.

Drogba will not play for another English team when he leaves Chelsea and may follow Lampard and Gerrard by ending his career in the US.

Platini backed him in the 2011 election on that basis but is angry that Blatter, 79, is seeking re-election on Friday for a further term.

Cristian Gomez died on his way to hospital after collapsing on the pitch during a match on Sunday, the 2nd such death to hit Argentine soccer in 10 days.

Khedira has accused the La Liga club of freezing him out by dropping him from the team after talks on a contract extension broke down even though he was fit to play.

"I am always confident because it's my way of thinking. I signed a contract here for three years," Pellegrini said.

Mourinho was selected over his fellow nominees, Southampton coach Ronald Koeman, Swansea's Garry Monk and Arsene Wenger from Arsenal.

Benzema has only just returned from a knee injury that sidelined him for several crucial games in the Champions League and domestic league.