FIFA has announced the names of the seven candidates to replace Sepp Blatter as its president - with that of David Nakhid not amongst them.
Nakhid, a former Trinidad and Tobago international, had stated his intention to stand but was absent from the list released by the governing body this morning.
That suggests Nakhid may not have received the five nominations required to stand and his absence means the list now contains just one former player in Michel Platini, who is currently banned from football.
The seven men who will now go forward to the February 26 election are Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan, UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino, Liberian FA president Musa Bility, Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman, former diplomat Jerome Champagne, South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale and UEFA president Platini.
The latter's participation in the election depends on the status of the ban he is serving. Platini - the one-time favourite for the job - was suspended from football for 90 days pending a disciplinary hearing into a £1.3million payment signed off by outgoing president Blatter in 2011.
If his ban is lifted, FIFA said in a statement that Platini's candidacy would be put in the hands of its Ad-hoc Electoral Committee which would "decide, depending on the respective exact point in time, on how to proceed with the candidature concerned."
Source: PA
