The announcement is a major boost for the 78-year-old Swiss incumbent who announced this month he would be standing for a fifth term.

Speaking after a meeting of CAF's Executive Committee in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, El Amrani said: "Africa will offer unanimous support to President Sepp Blatter at the next elective assembly."

Jérôme Champagne intends to run for election against Sepp Blatter ©Getty Images



Although the statement does not bind the 54 national associations of CAF to vote for Blatter, most are likely to go that way, especially after he was instrumental in bringing the World Cup to the continent for the first time in 2010.

As yet, Blatter has only one official challenger in former FIFA deputy secretary general Jérôme Champagne, but under the rules he needs at least five member states to nominate him.

Blatter is due to announce his candidacy formally later this week to his FIFA Executive Committee.

The election will take place at the FIFA Congress on May 28 and 29 in Zurich.