Blatter insists he is leaving FIFA, will not be candidate

July 20, 2015 12:00 am • Last Updated: July 20, 2015 10:31 am

FIFA president Sepp Blatter attends a news conference following the extraordinary FIFA Executive Committee at the headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, Monday, July 20, 2015. During the meeting the agenda for the elective Congress for the FIFA presidency was finalized and approved: The congress will take place on Feb. 26, 2016. (Ennio Leanza/Keystone via AP)

ZURICH — Sepp Blatter says he definitely will not be a candidate in the next FIFA presidential election on Feb. 26.

Blatter said at a news conference Monday: "I will not be a candidate for the election in 2016."

Asked to dispel any doubt that he would go back on his promises to leave, Blatter folded his arms and chuckled.

He said: "On the 26th of February FIFA will have a new president. I cannot be the new president because I am the old president."

Four days after being re-elected in May, Blatter announced that he would resign as FIFA president. However, speculation has continued that he would try to remain.

FIFA says would-be candidates can declare their interest immediately and apply until Oct. 26.

Blatter says: "I wish all the candidates best success and also to Michel Platini," the UEFA president and current front-runner to replace him.

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