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FIFA decides election date

Zurich - FIFA leaders met Monday to decide a date for an election to replace president Sepp Blatter and reform steps as football's world body confronts its biggest corruption crisis.

Blatter was to announce the date after the meeting at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, which came just two days after a former vice president Jeffrey Webb appeared in a New York court accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes.

The election is to be held between December of this year and March 2016.

The 79-year-old president, who stunned the world by announcing he would stand down just four days after being reelected to a fifth term on May 29, is believed to want a vote at a special congress in 2016.

European and some other delegates on the 25-member FIFA government would prefer a December vote however.

Blatter and FIFA vice presidents, including his rival Michel Platini, the UEFA chief, discussed the date in informal talks on Sunday night.

Only former Brazilian international and sports minister Zico has so far declared himself a candidate. But Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, a former vice president who stood against Blatter in May, and Platini are considering runs.

Domenico Scala, independent head of FIFA's audit committee, has been drawing up possible reforms to boost confidence in FIFA's tainted image.

These include term limits for the president and other top officials and releasing more information such as the salaries of FIFA leaders.

The executive committee was to discuss whether changes should be pursued straight away or wait until after the election.

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