SUPPORT for Tokyo Sexwale to be appointed as the new Fifa president next February is growing by the day.
Sexwale got the approval of the powerful Spanish La Liga president Javier Tebas yesterday.
Tebas, who is on a visit to Joburg to promote La Liga in Mzansi, said Sexwale would be “an ideal candidate” to replace disgraced Fifa boss Sepp Blatter.
Sexwale already has the backing of German legend Franz Beckenbauer, who was the chairman of the German 2006 World Cup Local Organising Committee.
Tebas said soccer needed to have someone in charge who could apply pressure – and Sexwale was that person.
Tebas will meet with Sexwale in Paris next Tuesday.
The Spanish boss added: “Tokyo would be an ideal candidate because he is from outside. Almost all the candidates except Tokyo are part of Fifa. Tokyo is outside the Fifa structures and would be, for me, the ideal person to take over.”
SA Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan welcomed Tebas’ support for Sexwale but stressed that Sexwale faced a lot of hard work in the coming months.
Said Jordaan: “He will have to work hard and visit every federation to try and secure their vote.”
Jordaan welcome Tebas and La Liga to Mzansi: “La Liga’s presence in our country is a vote of confidence in our soccer. There is a lot we can learn from one of the top federations and leagues in world football. I’m happy they have chosen South Africa to set up their base in Africa.”
Tebas will be setting up a La Liga office in Joburg and is using SA to promote Spanish football in Africa.
He said: “South Africa was the door to the continent. We also hope to eventually use Joburg as a base to spread our wings in Africa in countries such as Mozambique, Angola, Nigeria and Tanzania.”
He said that by having a physical presence in Mzansi he hoped to counter the influence of the English Premier League.
Tebas will meet with the PSL this week where he will outline plans to host a La Liga tournament in the off-season next year, in which La Liga clubs – Barcelona and Real Madrid excluded – would feature.
Added Tebas: “We also want to help the PSL with knowledge and development of local soccer.”