Joseph Blatter Re-Elected as FIFA President

Prince Ali bin Hussein has withdrawn from the race.

"I just wanted to thank all of you. It's been a wonderful journey in terms of knowing you, working with you, seeing the challenges you have, and I want to thank in particular all of you who were brave enough to support me. But having said that, I will be withdrawing from the race," Prince Ali said.

Despite being hit by a wave of criticism over the FIFA corruption scandal, four-time President Joseph Blatter was re-elected to head the international football governing body in the second round of voting.

"Thank you," Blatter said. "First of all I’d like to give compliments and express my gratitude to His Royal Highness Prince Ali. Because Prince Ali was a competitor, a challenger and he has obtained a very good result and in such a situation easily he could've said 'let's go further, perhaps I'd receive [more votes]'."

"I thank you that you accept me for the next 4 years. i’ll be in command of this boat for the next 4 years. We will bring it back to the shore where soccer can be played everywhere, but we have to work. Four years ago i had a lot of issues to solve, I challenged you at that time. I won’t challenge you this time. we have to solve problems in FIFA, I take the responsibity to bring back the FIFA. I’m a faithful man, and I say god will help us bring back fifa to where it should be, and I’ll give the FIFA to my successor in better shape," he added.

Earlier in the first round of voting Blatter won 133 votes, while Prince Ali gained support of 73 members at the 65th FIFA Congress.

The FIFA presidential election was held as scheduled following a corruption scandal involving several high-ranking officials of the organization.

On May 27, the US Justice Department unsealed an indictment charging 14 defendants — among them nine senior FIFA officials — with racketeering, money laundering and taking about $150 million in bribes. Seven of the FIFA defendants were arrested in Switzerland on a US federal corruption warrant.

Only two nominees — four-time incumbent Blatter, who has been FIFA president since 1998, and current FIFA Vice President for Asia, Prince Ali bin Hussein of Jordan — had been running for the FIFA presidency. Several new FIFA members, including South Sudan, Guinea-Bissau and Sao Tome and Principe received FIFA approval ahead of the Friday election to cast their votes.