Paris: With the FIFA presidential elections to be held on Friday, here are 11 key dates leading to the event.
2015
May 27: Seven FIFA officials, including two vice presidents, are arrested in a police raid on a Zurich hotel on the eve of a FIFA congress. Those arrested are among 14 wanted by US prosecutors over $150 million (136 million euros) bribery allegations, including buying and selling votes for South Africa to be awarded the 2010 World Cup.
May 29: Sepp Blatter is re-elected for a fifth term as president of world football`s governing body, the 79-year-old beating Jordan`s Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, who conceded after picking up just 73 votes to Blatter`s 133 in the first round of voting.
June 2: Blatter sensationally announces his resignation just days after the election, saying he will organise a new election to choose his successor. "I don`t feel I have a mandate from the entire world of football," he says.
Sept 17: FIFA suspends secretary general Jerome Valcke over claims he sold World Cup tickets at inflated prices.
Sept 25: Switzerland starts criminal proceedings against Blatter on suspicion he misappropriated funds and violated his duties by making a "disloyal payment" of 2 million Swiss francs ($2 million, 1.8 million euros) to UEFA boss Michel Platini.
Oct 8: Blatter and Platini are both suspended for 90 days by FIFA`s ethics committee over the payment, while another presidency candidate in South Korean Chung Mong-Joon is hit with a six-year ban. Valcke is also suspended for 90 days.
Dec 3: Two "high-ranking" FIFA officials are detained at the same Zurich hotel on suspicion of taking kickbacks for selling football marketing rights in Latin America.
December 11: Platini loses his appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against his suspension, which is due to end on January 5, 2016.
December 21: Blatter and Platini are both suspended from "all football-related activity" for eight years due to the "disloyal payment" made to Platini in 2011. Both men say they will appeal against their bans.
2016
January 13: Blatter`s former right-hand man Valcke is sacked from his role as FIFA secretary general after the `ticket touting` allegations. The previous week the ethics committee had recommended a nine-year ban for the Frenchman.
February 24: Presidential candidate Prince Ali, unhappy with proposed voting arrangements, has a bid to have the election delayed rejected by CAS. Later in the day both Platini and Blatter see appeals against their bans rejected by FIFA`s appeals committee, although their bans are reduced from eight years to six. Both say that they will appeal to CAS.
