A two-horse race between Larry Mussenden and Mark Wade will decide who replaces Richard Calderon as president of the Bermuda Football Association (BFA).

Calderon will step down midway through his four-year term later this month at the association's Annual General Meeting where the affiliates will be given a choice of either Mussenden or Wade, the BFA announced yesterday.

Former president Mussenden enters the race as the firm favourite.

It is understood he would not be running unless he was confident of avoiding a second successive defeat having been well beaten in a re-election bid by Calderon in 2008.

Since being ousted by Calderon, Mussenden has maintained strong connections in football. The lawyer is currently chairman of FIFA's appeals committee and served in an official capacity at the World Cup in South Africa earlier this summer.

During his seven-year stint as president, Mussenden earned a reputation as a shrewd operator and is credited for securing the $15 million funding commitment to football in 2007.

That money has now dried up and Mussenden's corporate and community contacts could give him the edge over Wade who is largely perceived as a 'football man'.

Like Mussenden, PHC vice-president Wade has also spent the past few weeks canvassing clubs in a bid to gain support for a presidential bid.

And he believes the head-to-head battle could be closer than some are anticipating.

"I think it's shaping up to be a fairly close election. We both have our own platform and our own qualities," said the 44-year-old. "It would be my first time on the actual executive. I've been involved on the youth committee before and with the Under-17 national team as head coach.

"I'm halfway through my meetings with the affiliates and I'm looking to give them a glance of who I am and what my vision is.

"I'm hoping to offer some of my expertise outside of football. I'm a senior manager at TeleBermuda and I'm looking to bring some of my business acumen to the association."

In what appears to be a contingency plan, Wade has also put his name forward as an executive member along with Dwayne (Streaker) Adams, Shequita Parson, Thaaqib Talbot, Troy Brimmer and current incumbent, Anthony Francis.

Wade said: "I generally want to serve football in some capacity at an executive level. We took the approach that if I'm not successful as an presidential candidate then I will look to be on the executive in some shape or form. I really desire to be involved in football at the administrative or executive level."

Cal Blakendal, Mussenden's former deputy, will be run for vice-president, while Andrew Griffith is a candidate for treasurer. The association's AGM will be on Wednesday, September 29. A secret ballot will be held with representatives from each of the Premier and First Division clubs, the Referees' Association and the Bermuda School Federation each getting a vote.