LONDON, AP:

Liberis's football chief launched a bid yesterday to succeed Sepp Blatter, pledging to eradicate corruption and ensure fans trust FIFA again by being a unifying leader who stops power being concentrated at the top.

Liberia Football Association President, Musa Bility, is the second candidate after former Brazil star Zico to declare his interest in the FIFA presidency, the election for which is expected to be held between December and February.

Candidates must be nominated by at least five of the 209 FIFA member associations and pass integrity checks to get on the ballot. Bility said he already has "commitment from many countries" to endorse him.

"Africa has the largest bloc in FIFA (with 54 members). If we don't put up a candidate, what does this say about us and our continent?" Bility asked in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

Bility would be taking charge of an organisation enduring the worst scandal in its 111-year history. Soccer officials, including two now-suspended FIFA vice-presidents, have been indicted in the United States, and Switzerland is investigating the World Cup bidding process that saw Russia awarded the 2018 tournament and Qatar the 2022 hosting rights.

Blatter is a target of the US federal agencies who are working with Swiss authorities.

Bility has run the Liberian FA since 2010, and was re-elected for a second four-year term in 2014.

He would be the first African candidate for FIFA's top job since Confederation of African Football President Issa Hayatou lost to Blatter in 2002.

Liberia has never qualified for a World Cup and not played at an African Cup of Nations since 2002. The West African country's most famous player is George Weah, the world player of year in 1995.