FIFA President Sepp Blatter May Endorse UAE Football Association's Yousuf Al Serkal As AFC Head

UAE FA President Yousuf Al Serkal's campaign to become president of the Asian Football Confederation "is set to receive a major boost" after it emerged that FIFA President Sepp Blatter, "should be willing to endorse his candidacy," according to John McAuley of THE NATIONAL. Al Serkal, "is one of three nominees from the region" seeking to replace AFC acting President Zhang Jilong. The Emirati faces competition from Bahrain's Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa and Hafez Al Medlej, "although the Saudi Arabian is expected to rescind his application and throw his backing behind Al Serkal." Worawi Makudi, of Thailand, "is also in the running for the May 2 election" (THE NATIONAL, 3/17).