Kingsley Kanayo
A new FIFA president will be elected in Zurich on Friday when 207 delegates vote to decide who will succeed Sepp Blatter.
Five candidates are bidding to replace Blatter; they are Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, Gianni Infantino, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, Tokyo Sexwale and Jerome Champagne.
Sheikh Salman, a member of Bahrain’s ruling family and Asian confederation head, is among the favourites to succeed Blatter as FIFA president.
Blatter was re-elected for a fifth term in May but, amid international corruption scandals, bowed to pressure just four days later, announcing he would resign.
He was later banned for six years for financial mismanagement and is not present to hand over power or oversee proceedings because of his ban.
Before the election process began, the 207 eligible nations voted to approve reforms to prevent further corruption and bribery scandals and to limit the powers of the new president.
FIFA members voted 179-22 in favour of stripping certain decision-making powers from the president and executive committee and encouraging more female members onto the newly renamed FIFA Council
Top officials will be limited to terms of 12 years with stricter integrity checks.
Voting on the new FIFA president begins after all of the candidates have had an opportunity to address the room, with several rounds of voting expected to be required.
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