A process for producing a fuel cell electrode catalyst comprising: a step of obtaining a catalyst precursor, including a step (Ia) of mixing at least a metal compound, a nitrogen-containing organic compound, and a fluorine-containing compound, and a step of heat-treating the catalyst precursor at a temperature of 500 to 1300°C to obtain an electrode catalyst, a portion or the entirety of the metal compound being a compound containing an atom of a metal element M1 selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, chromium, nickel, copper, zinc, titanium, niobium and zirconium, and at least one of the compounds, and containing an oxygen atom, wherein the fluorine-containing compound contains none of a boron atom, a phosphorus atom and a sulfur atom and is at least one kind selected from the group consisting of fluorine atom-containing alcohols, fluorine atom-containing ethers, and fluorine atom-containing carboxylic acids and their esters and acid anhydrides, wherein the metal compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of metal phosphates, metal sulfates, metal nitrates, metal organic acid salts, metal acid halides, metal alkoxides, metal halides, metal perhalates, metal hypohalites and metal complexes, wherein the nitrogen-containing organic compound has, in the molecule, at least one kind selected from amino group, nitrile group, imide group, imine group, nitro group, amide group, azide group, aziridine group, azo group, isocyanate group, isothiocyanate group, oxyme group, diazo group, nitroso group, pyrrole ring, porphyrin ring, imidazole ring, pyridine ring, pyrimidine ring and pyrazine ring, wherein the ratio (B/A) of the "B" of total number of carbon atoms of the nitrogen-containing organic compound used in step (Ia) to the "A" of total number of atoms of the metal element of the metal compound used in step (Ia) is 1 to 200, the ratio (C/A) of the "C" of total number of nitrogen atoms of nitrogen of the nitrogen-containing organic compound used in step (Ia) to the "A" of total number of atoms of the metal element of the metal compound used in step (Ia) is 1 to 28, and the total number of fluorine atoms contained in compound used in step (Ia) is 0.01 to 5 mol, based on 1 mol of metal atom in the metal compound used in step (Ia). a step of obtaining a catalyst precursor, including a step (Ia) of mixing at least a metal compound, a nitrogen-containing organic compound, and a fluorine-containing compound, and a step of heat-treating the catalyst precursor at a temperature of 500 to 1300°C to obtain an electrode catalyst, a portion or the entirety of the metal compound being a compound containing an atom of a metal element M1 selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, chromium, nickel, copper, zinc, titanium, niobium and zirconium, and at least one of the compounds, and containing an oxygen atom, wherein the fluorine-containing compound contains none of a boron atom, a phosphorus atom and a sulfur atom and is at least one kind selected from the group consisting of fluorine atom-containing alcohols, fluorine atom-containing ethers, and fluorine atom-containing carboxylic acids and their esters and acid anhydrides, wherein the metal compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of metal phosphates, metal sulfates, metal nitrates, metal organic acid salts, metal acid halides, metal alkoxides, metal halides, metal perhalates, metal hypohalites and metal complexes, wherein the nitrogen-containing organic compound has, in the molecule, at least one kind selected from amino group, nitrile group, imide group, imine group, nitro group, amide group, azide group, aziridine group, azo group, isocyanate group, isothiocyanate group, oxyme group, diazo group, nitroso group, pyrrole ring, porphyrin ring, imidazole ring, pyridine ring, pyrimidine ring and pyrazine ring, wherein the ratio (B/A) of the "B" of total number of carbon atoms of the nitrogen-containing organic compound used in step (Ia) to the "A" of total number of atoms of the metal element of the metal compound used in step (Ia) is 1 to 200, the ratio (C/A) of the "C" of total number of nitrogen atoms of nitrogen of the nitrogen-containing organic compound used in step (Ia) to the "A" of total number of atoms of the metal element of the metal compound used in step (Ia) is 1 to 28, and the total number of fluorine atoms contained in compound used in step (Ia) is 0.01 to 5 mol, based on 1 mol of metal atom in the metal compound used in step (Ia).