FIFA presidential election: The questions you need answered

World football’s governing body, FIFA, will hold elections Friday to determine disgraced president Sepp Blatter’s replacement amid a period of controversy and corruption for the organization.

Friday will mark one of the most important elections in FIFA’s history following Blatter’s disputed 17-year tenure at the helm, which resulted in a six-year ban for the Swiss sporting executive.

Related: FIFA Appeal Committee grants Sepp Blatter, Michel Platini reductions of sentences

The last four elections – in 2002, 2007, 2011, and 2015 – all saw Blatter win with little opposition. This year is a different story, as five candidates looking to alter the narrative of contentious and dubious practices by FIFA vie for the top position.

Who are the candidates?

Five men with varied histories are vying for the position.

Gianni Infantino: The Swiss-Italian general secretary of UEFA has been with European football’s governing body since 2000.

Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa: Head of the Asian Football Confederation, the Bahraini sits on the FIFA executive committee.

Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein: A member of the Jordanian royal family, and president of the country’s national Football Association, Prince Ali lost to Blatter in the 2015 election.

Jerome Champagne: Paris-born former diplomat and ex-FIFA deputy general secretary.

Tokyo Sexwale: Prosperous South African business man, anti-apartheid activist, and political prisoner alongside Nelson Mandela.

Related – FIFA presidential election: Assessing the candidates

Who is the favourite to succeed Blatter?

Infantino and Salman are considered the favourites in what has developed into a clear two-horse race for the title of FIFA kingpin. The latter is viewed as the lead candidate heading into Friday’s election, as two of the sport’s largest confederations, Asia and Africa, have publicly backed him.

Infantino, however, has claimed that he has strong support from Africa, which has 54 voting members. As such, the continent figures to play a key role in who emerges victorious on Friday.

What is the voting procedure?

Of FIFA’s 209 member federations, 207 will vote Friday, with Kuwaiti and Indonesian federations missing out following suspensions from 2015 that have been carried forward to Friday’s election.

The eyes of the world are on this election. Transparent booths are one way to ensure its integrity. pic.twitter.com/KEQgVSzSdE

— Prince Ali (@AliForFIFA) February 24, 2016

Each member will be summoned individually to vote in seclusion, where two-thirds majority (or 138 votes) in the first round of voting will see a winner crowned. Should no applicant receive the necessary votes, a candidate with a simple majority in the following voting rounds will become president.

When and where is the election being held?

The election is slated for Friday, Feb. 26, and while no specific time has been set for the election process, member states are anticipated to arrive at 9 a.m. local time (3 a.m. ET).

The election is but one of 12 items on the agenda at this extraordinary congress. Scheduled to be the 11th matter discussed, it is expected that voting will begin at 2:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. ET).

All of this will take place at the multi-purpose Hallenstadion in Switzerland, which boasts a capacity of 13,000. The facility, located in northern Zurich, has previously hosted ice hockey and tennis events, as well as concerts performed by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, and Justin Bieber.

How can I watch?

FIFA will be offering a live stream of the congress on its website, while viewers in the United States will be able to watch the events unfold on both ESPN and FOX Sports.

While you watch from the comfort of your home, The New York Times notes that some 684 delegates, along with 267 guests, are expected to attend the congress in Zurich – adding that they’ll be joined by roughly 400 members of the media.

Before you ask, no, they won’t be subjected to some awful musical performance that has come to be associated with many a FIFA event.

Why are we even having an election?

We’re glad you asked.

In explosive fashion in June of last year, the FBI arrested, indicted, and threatened extradition for several current and former FIFA executives for bribery and money laundering charges, revealing the criminal underbelly of football’s governing body.

Related: Everything you need to know about FIFA’s corruption charges

Six days later, Blatter, in a sensational turn, announced that he would step down as president, calling for elections scheduled for February 2016.

Related: Everything you need to know about Sepp Blatter’s resignation

And here we are.

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