Nine months ago, just before the last election for FIFA president, the United States Soccer Federation publicly endorsed Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan in his race against Sepp Blatter, the longtime and much-maligned incumbent who would go on to win re-election easily. At the time, U.S. Soccer’s endorsement was seen as a bold show of protest against the status quo within the scandal-hit governing body.
This week, with Mr. Blatter suspended and five candidates, including Prince Ali, vying to replace him, U.S. Soccer is planning to avoid a public endorsement. Barring a late change in that strategy, when the delegate from U.