FIFA prepares to vote as Prince Ali bin al-Hussein challenges Sepp Blatter

New Delhi: The world will be watching as the FIFA presidential election is taking place on Friday amid the crisis it is in after the arrests of top officials involved in bribery and scams.

Fifa's 209-member associations will vote to elect a new president as Jordanian Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, 39, will be pitted against 79-year-old Swiss Sepp Blatter, who has been president since of Fifa since 1998.

The vote takes place in the worst possible period for FIFA and its current president Sepp Blatter has promised to restore trust in FIFA and find a way in fixing things.

Blatter was widely expected to lead the race as favourite but has Wednesday's dramatic events turned it as a two-horse race between the Swiss administrator and Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein? It will be an interesting day to suggest any shift of momentum here.

On Thursday, Blatter condemned the "action of individuals" for bringing "shame and humiliation" on football in the corruption scandal.

The last four elections saw Blatter win convincingly and Prince Ali will be wary of the threat the former still posseses despite the current scenario.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Asian confederation (AFC) have already registered their support for Blatter. The UEFA is likely to vote for Prince Ali.

Prince Ali has waged a dogged campaign promising greater transparency in the way FIFA does business and for corruption to be driven out of the organisation.

Prince Ali has been vice president of FIFA in Asia since 2011 and says Blatter must be denied a fifth term in charge.

"We cannot continue with the crisis in FIFA," said the prince in a statement after seven top officials were arrested as part of a US investigation into corruption within FIFA on Wednesday.

(With agency inputs)