UEFA calls for postponement of FIFA presidential election

The European football governing body have called for FIFA to postpone the upcoming presidential election after nine officials were indicted on corruption charges.

Members of the UEFA Executive Committee gathered Wednesday in Warsaw, Poland and concluded that the presidential election should be delayed and that European associations are considering boycotting Friday's FIFA Congress.

"The UEFA member associations are meeting (Thursday) ahead of the FIFA Congress. At that point, the European associations will decide on what further steps need to be taken to protect the game of football," the administrative body said in a statement.

"In the meantime, the members of the UEFA Executive Committee are convinced that there is a strong need for a change to the leadership of this FIFA and strongly believe that the FIFA Congress should be postponed, with new FIFA presidential elections to be organised within the next six months."

UEFA are the only confederation of six that oppose president Sepp Blatter's re-election, and have suggested FIFA need a complete overhaul in an attempt to reclaim any form of legitimacy and public trust.

"Today's events are a disaster for FIFA and tarnish the image of football as a whole," the statement read.

"UEFA is deeply shocked and saddened by them. These events show, once again, that corruption is deeply rooted in FIFA's culture."