FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced Tuesday that he will step down as president, pending what he called an extraordinary congress he will summon to elect his successor.
"The election has closed, but the challenges that FIFA is facing have not come to an end," said Blatter. "FIFA needs profound restructuring. Although the members of FIFA have given me the mandate and re-elected me as president, this mandate does not appear to be supported by everybody."
Blatter went on to explain what is to happen next for the organization.
"I will call an extraordinary congress and put at disposal my function [as president]. It is going to be held as soon as possible and a new president will be elected to follow me," said Blatter. "I will continue to exercise my function as president of FIFA until the new elections will be held."
No date was given for when this congress would occur, but FIFA audit and compliance committee chairmain Domenico Sala said it would be before the next scheduled World Congress in May 2016, adding that it cannot be held for at least another four months, per FIFA rules since a congress was just held.
"The expectation is that this could take place anytime from December of this year to March of next year," Scala said.
Blatter, who has held the post for 17 years and was re-elected to a fifth term on Friday, said that he plans to stay on in an advisory role.
"I am now free from the constraints of an election," said Blatter. "I will be in a position to focus on profound reforms. For many years we have called for reforms, but these are not sufficient."
Blatter's re-election last week came just two days after arrests were made in Zurich, where the 65th FIFA Congress was being held, in relation to indictments brought forth by the United States Department of Justice.
Earlier on Tuesday, a letter was released that implied that FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke, Blatter's second in command, was involved in a questionable transfer of $10 million after FIFA denied he or Blatter had known anything about the transaction.
"[The] interests of FIFA are very dear to me and this is why I have taken this decision," said Blatter.
ABC News is reporting that Blatter is being investigated by the FBI as part of the on-going corruption probe despite the fact that he was not named in last week's indictment.
