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| Fifa presidential election: when is the vote and how does it work? | Fifa presidential election: when is the vote and how does it work? |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Fifa congress will begin at 8.30am UK time (9.30am in Zurich). | The Fifa congress will begin at 8.30am UK time (9.30am in Zurich). |
| There are several items on the agenda on Friday – including “suspension or expulsion of a member” and “president’s address” – before item 17: election of the president. We could see the results of that election around 4pm UK time. | There are several items on the agenda on Friday – including “suspension or expulsion of a member” and “president’s address” – before item 17: election of the president. We could see the results of that election around 4pm UK time. |
| Before the 209 associations cast their votes, incumbent Sepp Blatter – angling for a fifth term in the top job – and his only rival, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, will each address the Fifa congress. Prince Ali, from Jordan, was elected Fifa vice-president for Asia in 2011. | |
| Voting takes place in a secret ballot, although several countries and regional groups have declared who they intend to plump for. If either candidate achieves two-thirds of the vote in the first round, he wins outright – that’s 139 out of 209. If not, voting goes to a second round, in which a simple majority is enough to win. | Voting takes place in a secret ballot, although several countries and regional groups have declared who they intend to plump for. If either candidate achieves two-thirds of the vote in the first round, he wins outright – that’s 139 out of 209. If not, voting goes to a second round, in which a simple majority is enough to win. |
| Article 27 of the Fifa statutes sets out that: | Article 27 of the Fifa statutes sets out that: |
| Who will vote for Blatter? | Who will vote for Blatter? |
| It’s widely expected that Blatter will sail off with his fifth presidential term on Friday, despite the eruption this week of corruption allegations that have haunted his time as Fifa’s chief. So who will be voting for him? | It’s widely expected that Blatter will sail off with his fifth presidential term on Friday, despite the eruption this week of corruption allegations that have haunted his time as Fifa’s chief. So who will be voting for him? |
| North and Central America and Caribbean: 35 votes | North and Central America and Caribbean: 35 votes |
| The region’s governing body, Concacaf, gained prominence within Fifa under the leadership of Trinidad and Tobago’s Jack Warner, one of those arrested this week. Most Concacaf members are expected to vote for Blatter. But the US and Canada say they will vote for Prince Ali. | The region’s governing body, Concacaf, gained prominence within Fifa under the leadership of Trinidad and Tobago’s Jack Warner, one of those arrested this week. Most Concacaf members are expected to vote for Blatter. But the US and Canada say they will vote for Prince Ali. |
| (An enlightening aside: at a Concacaf meeting in April, Osiris Guzman, president of the Dominican football federation, likened Blatter to Moses, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, Jesus and Nelson Mandela. Ahem.) | (An enlightening aside: at a Concacaf meeting in April, Osiris Guzman, president of the Dominican football federation, likened Blatter to Moses, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, Jesus and Nelson Mandela. Ahem.) |
| Africa: 54 votes | Africa: 54 votes |
| The Confederation of African Football issued a statement on Thursday opposing calls for the election to be delayed and reiterating its intention to vote for Blatter. It also offered “our full support to the measures initiated by Fifa in recent years in improving good governance”. | The Confederation of African Football issued a statement on Thursday opposing calls for the election to be delayed and reiterating its intention to vote for Blatter. It also offered “our full support to the measures initiated by Fifa in recent years in improving good governance”. |
| Asia: 46 votes | Asia: 46 votes |
| The Asian Football Confederation isn’t backing the candidate from its region, but instead is opting for Blatter. It also repeated this week that it didn’t think the arrests were any reason to postpone the election or reconsider its favoured candidate. | The Asian Football Confederation isn’t backing the candidate from its region, but instead is opting for Blatter. It also repeated this week that it didn’t think the arrests were any reason to postpone the election or reconsider its favoured candidate. |
| However, Frank Lowry, chairman of Football Federation Australia (which jumped ship from the Oceania group in 2011), said he would vote for Prince Ali: “FFA believes that profound change within Fifa is needed.” | However, Frank Lowry, chairman of Football Federation Australia (which jumped ship from the Oceania group in 2011), said he would vote for Prince Ali: “FFA believes that profound change within Fifa is needed.” |
| South America: 10 votes | South America: 10 votes |
| South America, despite the presence of giants Brazil and Argentina, has fewer votes than any other confederation. It’s expected to hand them all to Blatter. | South America, despite the presence of giants Brazil and Argentina, has fewer votes than any other confederation. It’s expected to hand them all to Blatter. |
| Oceania: 11 votes | Oceania: 11 votes |
| A statement from the group in January said all 11 nations planned to vote for Blatter. But on Friday, New Zealand Football announced it would break ranks and support Prince Ali. | A statement from the group in January said all 11 nations planned to vote for Blatter. But on Friday, New Zealand Football announced it would break ranks and support Prince Ali. |
| And (mostly) in the Prince Ali corner … Europe: 53 votes | And (mostly) in the Prince Ali corner … Europe: 53 votes |
| Uefa president Michel Platini estimates at least 45 of the European FAs will opt for Prince Ali. Russia and Spain will go for Blatter. Platini asked Blatter on Thursday to consider stepping aside, but the Fifa boss decided he didn’t fancy that. David Gill, a board member of Uefa and and the English FA, has said he won’t take up his role as vice-president of Fifa if Blatter wins. | Uefa president Michel Platini estimates at least 45 of the European FAs will opt for Prince Ali. Russia and Spain will go for Blatter. Platini asked Blatter on Thursday to consider stepping aside, but the Fifa boss decided he didn’t fancy that. David Gill, a board member of Uefa and and the English FA, has said he won’t take up his role as vice-president of Fifa if Blatter wins. |