Members of soccer’s world governing body, FIFA, will vote Friday for their new president amid a corruption scandal that has rocked the organization and led for calls for the dismissal of Sepp Blatter, its longtime leader.
The vote comes as the FIFA World Congress meets in Zurich, Switzerland, in unprecedented disarray.
Swiss authorities are investigating the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids, while a U.S. investigation has led to the arrest of some of FIFA’s leading officials on corruption charges.
Amid calls for his dismissal Thursday, Blatter blamed allegations of widespread corruption within soccer’s governing body on “a few” and called for those involved to be punished as FIFA works to rebuild its reputation.
His sole rival in the presidential contest is Jordan’s Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, the candidate put forward by England’s Football Association to challenge Blatter’s 17-year reign over world soccer.
Each of FIFA’s 209 member associations has a vote. A candidate needs two-thirds of the first ballot to be president if all members vote. Blatter secured his 2011 re-election with 186 votes in his favor, out of 203. If there is no winner after the first vote, members cast ballots again, with only a majority of 105 needed to win.
Speaking at the official opening Thursday, Blatter said the World Congress had an opportunity beginning Friday to start down “the long and difficult road to rebuilding trust.”
“Let this be a turning point,” Blatter said. “More needs to be done to make sure everyone in football acts responsibly and ethically.”
He vowed to cooperate with authorities to ensure those involved in wrongdoing are “discovered and punished.”
The 79-year-old’s call for reform comes as a chorus of pundits, world leaders and European soccer’s most important official have made clear what action they believe is necessary to clean up FIFA: Blatter must go.
But while European members and the United States have voiced their desire for Blatter to go, he maintains the support of many other member associations.
The Asian Football Confederation said Thursday that while it was disappointed by reports of corruption, it was ready to stand by Blatter and was against delaying the presidential elections. The Asian Football Confederation has 46 voting members.
The Confederation of African Football said the same in a statement Thursday. The CAF has 54 votes, and as recently as last month had promised to support Blatter unanimously.