FIFA To Go Ahead With Annual Congress, Presidential Election

FIFA President Sepp Blatter is set to open today's FIFA Congress in Zurich and is "expected to win Friday's vote" for re-election. The governing body "hasn't shown any signs it would postpone the election, despite calls from UEFA" to delay it for up to six months in the wake of the recent arrests. Blatter "canceled a scheduled appearance at FIFA’s medical conference" earlier today. His "only public statement on the investigations" was a message released last night on FIFA’s website (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/28). Blatter today led an "emergency meeting" to address the situation (NYTIMES.com, 5/28).

UEFA reportedly "will not boycott" the FIFA Congress, as the European body today "backed down from its threatened boycott" (AP, 5/28). Blatter is not expected to attend today's "meeting of UEFA's member association heads" (ESPNFC.us, 5/28).