Fifa presidential election: Who is Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein and can he defeat Sepp Blatter?

With the international football organisation plunged into yet another corruption scandal, a Prince from Jordan may actually stand a chance to stop Blatter from winning a fifth term as President

Prince Ali bin al-Hussein is the sole challenger to Sepp Blatter in Fifa’s election (Getty Images)

Even at this point, mere hours before the Fifa member associations are set to elect its president, not much is widely known about Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein beyond the fact that he's not Sepp Blatter.

Prince Ali is the only challenger to the much-reviled Blatter, who has lead Fifa since 1998 and whose presidency has never been more at risk than it is today.

Earlier this week several of high-ranking Fifa officials were arrested on corruption charges, and that has led to renewed calls for Blatter to step down - or be defeated.

Here's what you need to know about Prince Ali.

Who is he?

In broad strokes, Prince Ali from Jordan is a current Fifa vice-president, and one of only two people still in the race to become Fifa president today, having outlasted other would-be candidates including Luis Figo.

The 39-year old son of the late King Hussein of Jordan is reportedly a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.

What's his CV like?

The Prince, who attended university in the United States, entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurt in the UK, becoming an officer in 1994.

He also served in the Jordan Special Forces.

He entered football administration in 1999 as the president of the Jordan Football Association; he was elected to his current role as Fifa vice-president for Asia in 2011.

He's the youngest vice-president and the youngest member of the Fifa executive committee.

What does he stand for in this election?

"I am a straightforward person with straightforward ideas and ethics - a person who loves our sport," he says in his manifesto.

According to that document, his key idea for Fifa is introducing a series of reforms designed to reestablish it as a credible sports organisation — "with improved integrity, governance and transparency."

He also talks a good game over human and labour rights, which are in particularly potent issues in light of revelations of slave deaths in Qatar, which will host of the 2022 World Cup.

Can he win?

Anything is possible, but no. It's simple arithmetic and he just doesn't have the votes.

Much of Europe, a clutch of South and North American countries and the odd Asian/Oceanic country is expected to turn out for Prince Ali.

Though this represents an admirable return, Blatter is still set for a comfortable victory with the support of Africa, Central America and much of Asia.

What will happen if he does win?

Pandemonium. But he won't.

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