Nyon (Switzerland), Aug 12 (IANS): European football's governing body UEFA president Michel Platini referred to the creation of the FIFA Reform Committee as an important step in the introduction of structural changes to the global football federation.

"The creation of this working group is an important step towards the introduction of much needed reforms in the FIFA," Platini, who has already announced his candidature for the FIFA presidency, said in a statement on Tuesday.

FIFA on Tuesday appointed former International Olympic Committee (IOC) director general Francois Carrard as the independent chairman of its 2016 Reform Committee.

The 77-year-old will head an 11-member panel charged with undertaking structural reforms in the scandal-ridden FIFA.

The new FIFA president will be elected at FIFA's Congress to be held February 26 next year in Zurich.

The new committee comes as a response to recent corruption scandals that tarnished FIFA and its current interim president, Sepp Blatter, and to respond to calls for change from some of the main sponsors of the football body.

Platini added that all the confederations have elected their representatives to the committee based on their knowledge of football affairs and governance, and now they will work together for the good of the game.