FIFA may delay its presidential election, scheduled for February

The presidential election for football's world governing body FIFA planned for February 26 may have been put on hold, according to Sky sources.

The news comes a day after Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini were handed 90-day suspensions by FIFA's ethics committee as investigations continue into their conduct.

The Swiss Attorney General opened criminal proceedings against Blatter, who has been FIFA president since 1998, over a £1.35m payment to UEFA president Platini, who had been favourite to succeed the 79-year-old. Both men have appealed the bans. 

Sky sources are reporting that FIFA's executive committee have provisionally scheduled a meeting for October 20 in Zurich to discuss the current structure and appease its 209 member associations.

This will be after UEFA's emergency meeting in Nyon next week where the 54 European member associations will want answers on who is running the organisation in the short term and whether Platini can remain on the ballot to replace Blatter as FIFA president.

Sky Sports News HQ understands that FIFA is currently looking into whether the October 26 deadline for presidential applications is realistic given the recent turmoil.

This will be assessed by Issa Hayatou, FIFA's acting president and head of Africa's football confederation, along with its acting general secretary, internal and external legal advisors before it is discussed with member associations and the executive committee.

An EGM can be called if 13 of the 209 associations affiliated to FIFA request it.

David Gill, British member of the FIFA executive and FIFA vice-president, has already called for an emergency meeting of the organisation's executive committee.