AKIPRESS.COM - Sepp Blatter is to resign as president of football's governing body FIFA amid a corruption scandal and is reportedly under investigation in the U.S.
In announcing his exit, the 79-year-old Swiss has called an extraordinary FIFA congress "as soon as possible" to elect a new president.
Blatter was re-elected last week, despite seven top FIFA officials being arrested two days before the vote. But he said: "My mandate does not appear to be supported by everybody."
Blatter, who has been FIFA president since 1998, said: "The next ordinary FIFA congress will take place on 13 May, 2016 in Mexico City.
"This would create unnecessary delay and I will urge the executive committee to organise an extraordinary congress for the election of my successor at the earliest opportunity.
"This will need to be done in line with FIFA's statutes and we must allow enough time for the best candidates to present themselves and to campaign."
The extraordinary congress is expected to take place between December 2015 and March 2016, reports BBC.