FIFA vice president Chung Mong-Joon announced Thursday that he is considering challenging Sepp Blatter for FIFA's top job.
Blatter has confirmed he will stand for a fourth term as president in next May's vote, but no opponent has yet emerged.
While one potential opponent, Asian confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam, has ruled himself out, Chung used a high-profile appearance in London to suggest he is ready to stand.
"I have not thought of doing so before seriously but now I will think about it," the 58-year-old Chung told the conference attended by five other FIFA executive committee members.
"It's still too early to say there will be no contender next May," Chung said. "In order to keep a large organization like FIFA healthy you need healthy competition."
The 74-year-old Blatter has been FIFA's president since Joao Havelange's 24-year reign ended in 1998, and he won a fierce re-election fight in 2002 before being returned unopposed in 2007.
Blatter has acknowledged that he is braced for a challenge from a candidate from Asia.
"There are good people among existing FIFA executive committee members," Chung said. "We could have a candidate from Asia or other confederations. We better try to find good competition and good candidates."
Chung suggested that it is time for an Asian to head world soccer due to the continent's increasing importance to the sport.
"We sometimes see examples of national or regional agenda crowding out the global pursuit of the good of the game," Chung said. "Likewise, it is important to ensure that FIFA's democracy shall not be reduced to a mere reflection of a shifting coalition of interest groups."
Chung is also looking ahead to the 2015 presidential election.
"It is likely there will be several candidates from South America, Asia and other confederations as well," he said.
