AMMAN, Jordan — Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan announced Wednesday that he was running to be president of FIFA, saying he would fight “deep-seated corruption and political deal-making” and make FIFA, soccer’s scandal-scarred global governing body, more transparent.
The prince, 39, made his announcement at a carefully staged event, speaking to about 300 invited guests, including young Jordanians and foreign diplomats, in a Roman amphitheater. School-age soccer players in uniforms flanked the prince as he declared his candidacy in Arabic, and then laid out his agenda in English.
Prince Ali said that if he was elected, he would shift some decision-making powers from FIFA headquarters in Zurich to national football associations.