FIFA president election: in bid to end crisis

207 FIFA delegates from around the world gather on February 26 in Zurich, Switzerland to vote for the new FIFA President

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Delegates gathering prior to the Extraordinary FIFA Congress 2016 held at the Hallenstadion in Zurich, Switzerland

A chain of corruption scandals rocked FIFA in 2015. Everything flared up within an unprecedented scandal before the 65th FIFA Congress in Zurich, where seven of the organization’s high-ranking officials were arrested in Switzerland on bribery, money laundering and corruption charges. Photo: Federal agents loading a van with boxes of evidence taken from the headquarters of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF,) in Miami, USA

On May 29, 2015 Sepp Blatter was reelected for his fifth consecutive four-year FIFA presidential term. However later Blatter said he decided to lay down his mandate at FIFA extraordinary elective Congress. Photo: Sepp Blatter seen while banknotes thrown by British Comedian Simon Brockin hurtle through the air during a press conference following the extraordinary FIFA Executive Committee, 20 July 2015

Protester wearing a mask depicting FIFA President Sepp Blatter in front of the building where the 65th FIFA congress took place in Zurich, Switzerland

Former FIFA president Blatter and UEFA chief Michel Platini were both banned on December 21, 2015 for eight years from all international football activities over allegedly illegal financial transfer from FIFA to Platini

The five candidates running for football world governing body FIFA's presidency at an extraordinary FIFA Congress in Zurich (from top left): President of the Jordan Football Association, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino, President of the Asian Football Confederation, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale, and former FIFA deputy Secretary General Jerome Champagne

FIFA Presidential Candidate Gianni Infantino speaking to the media about his 90 day plan that he will implement if he is elected FIFA President, at Wembley Stadium in London

South African minister of Human Developments Tokyo Sexwale signing a giant soccer ball known as the Goodwill Ball outside parliament in Cape Town, South Africa

Jerome Champagne, a former right-hand man to ex-FIFA President Joseph Blatter

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa at the AFC annual awards in New Delhi, India

FIFA Vice President and Jordanian Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein

The Extraordinary FIFA Congress is being held on February 26 in Zurich in order to vote on the proposals for amendments to the FIFA Statutes and choose the new FIFA President. The five currently running candidates for the post of the FIFA presidency are: South Africa’s ex-Minister of Housing Construction Tokyo Sexwale, UEFA Secretary General Gianni Infantino, FIFA Vice President and Jordanian Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, former-FIFA Secretary General Jerome Champagne and President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa. A chain of corruption scandals rocked FIFA throughout last year. Everything flared up within an unprecedented scandal on the morning of May 27, one day before the 65th FIFA Congress in Zurich, where seven of the organization’s high-ranking officials were arrested in Switzerland on bribery, money laundering and corruption charges.