• UEFA want Friday’s FIFA presidential election to be postponed
  • Seven FIFA officials were arrested in criminal investigation on Wednesday
  • UEFA statement claims situation will ‘kill football’ if it is not stopped
  • European countries are considering whether to even attend congress
  • Click here to read our Q&A on the implications of FIFA developments 

Matt Lawton For Mailonline

UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino has called on FIFA to suspend Friday’s presidential election after officials were arrested in an investigation into corruption in Zurich in a day of unprecedented turmoil for football’s governing body. 

European football’s governing body called for a postponement after extensive lobbying convinced them an attempt to oust Sepp Blatter as president would fail.

UEFA had considered allowing Friday’s election to take place if they believed Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan could secure enough votes. 

UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino has called on FIFA to postpone Friday's presidential election

UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino has called on FIFA to postpone Friday’s presidential election

FIFA President Sepp Blatter is the overwhelming favourite for Friday's election, which UEFA want postponed 

FIFA President Sepp Blatter is the overwhelming favourite for Friday’s election, which UEFA want postponed 

UEFA considered letting the election to take place if they thought Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein (centre) could win

UEFA considered letting the election to take place if they thought Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein (centre) could win

But a day of calculating potential votes, and discussions in Warsaw where UEFA chiefs were attending the Europa League final before meeting in Zurich on Thursday, left them concluding Blatter retained the necessary support to remain in power despite the latest allegations of corruption and the arrests in Zurich. 

A UEFA statement said: ‘The upcoming FIFA Congress risks to turn into a farce and therefore the European associations will have to consider carefully if they should even attend this Congress and caution a system, which, if it is not stopped, will ultimately kill football.

‘The UEFA member associations are meeting tomorrow ahead of the FIFA Congress. At that point, the European associations will decide on what further steps need to be taken to protect the game of football.

‘In the meantime, the members of the UEFA Executive Committee are convinced that there is a strong need for a change to the leadership of this FIFA and strongly believe that the FIFA Congress should be postponed, with new FIFA presidential elections to be organised within the next six months.’

Mobile phone footage shows one of the FIFA members being led out of the Baur au Lac hotel in the dawn raid

Mobile phone footage shows one of the FIFA members being led out of the Baur au Lac hotel in the dawn raid

Police officers used white sheets to protect the identities of the arrested FIFA members on Wednesday

Police officers used white sheets to protect the identities of the arrested FIFA members on Wednesday

The Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich where a number of FIFA officials were arrested on Wednesday

The Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich where a number of FIFA officials were arrested on Wednesday

 

 

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