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Everything you need to know about Prince Ali’s FIFA Presidential Bid

By on January 6, 2015

Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein is doomed to lose. In an election which Sepp Blatter is the overwhelming favorite to win for the fifth straight year, that for the president of FIFA, Al Hussein would need a fair-tale miracle much like that of another Prince Ali, from the classic Disney movie Aladdin, to actually win. Set to rely heavily on votes from Europe, Al Hussein’s bid isn’t as positive regarding the fact that Blatter’s seventeen year term stain with corruption could even possibly come to an end, but that FIFA are at least thinking of reform. Al Hussein isn’t on the face another old corrupt official, much the opposite in fact. He was one of the three FIFA Executive Members who turned down the infamous $26,000 watches handed out at a pre-World Cup FIFA Congress. He somewhat symbolizes the growing discontent with, and within FIFA.

Background:
Born to the late King and late Queen of Jordan just thirty-nine years ago Prince Ali spent his early years in Jordan, before earning much of his education abroad, including studying at Princeton in the United States and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK. Afterwards he spent nearly a decade as a commander in Jordan’s Royal Guard.

Football politics career:
In 1999, Prince Ali took over the role of president of the Jordan FA, a position he still occupies. He also founded the West Asian Football Federation, which he serves as president of. Prince Ali’s first big leap into FIFA came in 2010, when he won the bid to become one of FIFA’s seven Vice Presidents, representing Asia among the group. However, as he only took over the role the following year he didn’t even have a part in the controversial 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosing bids. Currently, a presidential bid is one if the few ways Ali is likely to stay long term in the governing body due to upcoming changes set to take place among the AFC.

Bid strategy and details:
Closely allied to US Soccer President Sunil Gulati and other, mainly younger FIFA exco members, Prince Ali was among those to call for Michael Garcia’s infamous report on corruption in FIFA to be released. At the time being, he has lead to the conclusion that he will make a campaign not solely against Blatter, who said before the 2011 election he would not run again in 2015, rather, push for transparency all across FIFA and against general corruption in federation.

Currently, Ali is set to receive most of his votes from UEFA, who have lead for charge against Blatter, though even there Russia, who won the hosting rights for the 2018 World Cup, are among a few sill supportive of Blatter. In fact, five federations have already voiced their backing of Blatter, including Ali’s own AFC, from which president Sheikh Salman Ebrahim al-Khalifa recently backed Blatter.

What this means for FIFA:
Though, as aforementioned, Ali has only a slim chance of beating Blatter, it is positive to see a candidate pro-reform; the third runner in the race, Jerome Champaign, is a close ally of Blatter. At the moment, when it is so easy for many executives to sit in their cushy seats all but promised to them by supporting Blatter, reform is still a bold thing in the governing body, not an overdue and obvious thing it is from the outsider. Ali’s bid is a step in the right direction at very least, a big step for pro-reform executives among FIFA.

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.