FIFA Presidential Candidates Invited To A Live TV Debate

The five candidates bidding to succeed Sepp Blatter as FIFA president have been invited to take part in a live television debate.

The contenders for the top job at world football's governing body are Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, Tokyo Sexwale, Gianni Infantino and Jerome Champagne.

Champagne told the Sporting Intelligence website: “I can tell you that ESPN proposed to the candidates a televised debate in London on January 29 and I have already expressed my agreement. I feel that unfortunately - as I have said already when I launched this campaign myself - that it will be a succession of deals done behind closed doors of five-star hotels”.

Blatter's reign came to a humiliating end on December 21 when he was banned for eight years by FIFA's ethics committee. The ban was imposed by FIFA's ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert for a 'disloyal payment' of two million Swiss francs (£1.3million) made to UEFA president Michel Platini in 2011, signed off by outgoing FIFA president Blatter. Platini was also banned for eight years. The charges found proven included offering and accepting gifts, conflict of interest, and violating their fiduciary duty to FIFA.