Zurich, April 2:

Sepp Blatter is the only candidate for FIFA’s presidential election in May.

No other candidates had nominated by the March 31 deadline to challenge the incumbent on May 31 during the 57th FIFA Congress in Zurich, world soccer’s governing body said on Monday.

FIFA said 66 member associations from all six confederations nominated the 71-year-old Blatter for a third term as FIFA president through till 2011.

“I wish to thank all of the associations who have demonstrated their trust in me in this way,” Blatter said.

“Over the past nine years, I have managed to overcome a range of difficulties and

bring about several improvements thanks to their help and to the support of

other members of the global football family. During my third period of office, football will acquire a more pronounced and extensive social role,” he added.

Blatter was first elected as FIFA’s eighth president in June 1998. Four years later in Seoul, the associations voted him in again.

The extraordinary Congress in Doha in 2003 voted to extent that term from four to five years so that the presidential election would take place in the year following the termination of the four-year financial period in order not to affect the World Cup.