The 78-year-old incumbent is vying for a fifth term at the head of world football's governing body and is currently facing competition from France's former FIFA Executive Jérôme Champagne, Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein and former French international footballer David Ginola.

UEFA President Michel Platini ruled himself out of the race in August, claiming he wanted to remain at the helm of European football's governing body.

Under Platini's leadership, UEFA has been heavily critical of Blatter and his intention to run for another term.

Platini has made no secret of his desire to see FIFA led by a new face following a series of damaging allegations surrounding the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively.

Several of the Frenchman's colleagues confronted Blatter at the FIFA Congress in São Paulo last June, after the Swiss claimed the British media's investigation of Qatar's World Cup bid was motivated by racism.

UEFA members said the claims were without foundation.

UEFA President Michel Platini has already ruled himself out of the FIFA Presidential election ©Getty Images



"They want to get rid of me," Blatter told CNN.

"All this opposition is coming now, it's unfortunate to say - but it's true - it's coming from UEFA.

"They don't have the courage to come in.

"So let me go [on] - be respectful."

The turmoil within FIFA deepened last month when the man hired to investigate the bidding processes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, the former United States attorney Michael Garcia, resigned in protest of the handling of his report.

But Blatter, President since 1998, is refusing to relinquish his position without a fight and insists he wants to see through FIFA's Governance reform process, which he launched in June 2011.

"I have to say I have not finished my mission because it's a mission to be in football," he said.

"The reform process is not over.

"I would like to have these four years to finish it and to show that football is more than a game."

David Ginola's campaign appears to be in serious jeopardy after it emerged that the financial backing he is receiving from Paddy Power is a breach of FIFA's Code of Ethics
©Getty Images

In order to secure a place on the ballot paper for the election on May 29, each candidate must receive the backing of at least five of the 209 member associations of FIFA by Thursday (January 29).

Ginola's chances of replacing Blatter appear to be dwindling after it emerged that he faces charges for breaching Article 25 of FIFA's Code of Ethics for his links to gambling, should he become an official candidate before the deadline.

Bookmaker Paddy Power agreed to pay Ginola £250,000 ($327,000/€380,000) over five months to run against Blatter, after admitting that it was their idea to back a challenger to the Swiss administrator.

But they have since said that they "will not be contributing financially" beyond tomorrow, putting a major dent in Ginola's campaign.

Harold Mayne-Nicholls, the administrator who led the FIFA Inspection Group that evaluated the bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, is another potential candidate and is expected to announce whether he has the backing of the necessary number of member associations in the coming days, along with Champagne.  

Blatter has revealed that the list of qualified candidates for the election will be made public on February 7 or 8 and remains extremely confident of success.

"It's not my first battle for the Presidency," he added.

"I still have the conviction and I believe in myself and I believe in football."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]