A potential second term in office for Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Ahmad is looking considerably more likely after 46 of the continent's 54 association presidents have called on him to run again.

The support comes despite Madagascar's Ahmad, who took charge in 2017, having yet to formally announce his intention to stand in March's elections.
 
The deadline to apply is 12 November, with no formal bid having yet been submitted by any candidate.

A statement signed by the heads of all Africa's six regions suggests that the 60-year-old will have widespread backing should he opt to run again, even though he is the subject of an ongoing Fifa Ethics case.

Ahmad has previously said he would seek guidance from the continent's football fraternity before deciding to run, saying he does the role out of 'collective motivation' not 'personal ambition'.

"Today, we, Presidents of the six Councils of African Football Associations, supported by 46 presidents of our 54 member associations, call on President Ahmad to run for a second term in order to continue with his achievement," the statement read.

"If he decides to do so, we will support him."

A simple majority is required to win the Caf presidential election and only eight African nations did not put their name to the statement - Algeria, Botswana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Last month, Nigeria FA boss Amaju Pinnick refused to rule himself out of the race, saying there were 'a lot of things fundamentally wrong in Caf right now'.

Stifled Challenge

Earlier this week, one possible challenge to Ahmad foundered after Caf Executive Committee member Tarek Bouchamoui was effectively barred from standing.

The Tunisian's hopes of bidding for the presidency have been thwarted after his country's FA president Wadi Jari submitted his own candidacy for the Executive Committee shortly after the registration period opened last month.

Caf statutes rule that a country can only nominate one candidate for any position on the Executive Committee, including the presidency itself, so ruling out Bouchamoui - who would also have needed backing from his own FA to stand.

While Fifa Council member Bouchamoui had expressed his decision to run for the Caf Presidency to both his FA and Ministry of Sport, Jari revealed on Monday that he submitted his candidacy on 17 September.

Tunisia is among the countries to have pledged its support to Ahmad's possible re-election.