In search of a successor to Sepp Blatter

However, after FIFA's Ethics Committee handed him a provisional 90-day ban, he may have a hard time getting past the integrity test the candidates are to be subjected to. Platini's only chance may be to convince Swiss prosecutors that a payment of two million Swiss francs he is accused of receiving from FIFA in 2011 is completely above aboard. He has denied any wrongdoing.

The South Korean's candidacy was over before it really began. The Ethics Committee banned the former FIFA vice president for six years and fined him 100,000 Swiss Francs. Back in January, an investigation was launched in his involvement in the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The Committee found him guilty of breaching FIFA's code of Ethics.

The Jordanian prince unsuccessfully ran against Blatter at the last FIFA vote in May. He earned 73 of the 210 votes in the first round of voting, but pulled out - effectively conceding - before a run-off could be held. He had profited from support from European football associations, when neither Platini nor any other European was on the ballot. He may have distanced himself from Platini in time.

Sexwale, who was imprisoned with Nelson Mandela during the apartheid era, appears to have the support of German legend Franz Beckenbauer among others. He was recently appointed chairman of the FIFA commission monitoring the relationship between the football associations of the Palestinians and Israel. Some see him as too closely associated with Blatter.

The former FIFA deputy secretary general had hoped to challenge his former boss back in May. However, he failed to gain the five federation nominations required to become a candidate. The Frenchman is still considering his options, and there has been speculation that he could seek to replace the suspended general secretary, Jerome Valcke.

As a former sports minister, the one-time Brazilian national team star does have political experience. However, he isn't even expected to be able to drum up the support of five national associations, which is required to officially launch a candidacy. Even his own Brazilian Football Confederation have said that they would only endorse him if he first got the backing of four other FAs.

As the as the longest-serving vice-president on FIFA’s Executive Committee, Hayatou became the acting president of FIFA as soon as Blatter's 90-day ban took effect. Shortly afterwards, the 69-year-old Cameroon native announced that he had no intention of being a candidate in February. He has been linked to alleged corruption involving World Cup rights in the past, but has denied any wrongdoing.

The president of the German FA (DFB) has refused to be drawn on whether he might throw his hat into the ring. While conceding that he is honored whenever his name is mentioned as a possible candidate, he has also stressed that he is happy in his job at the DFB. However, FIFA's provisional ban of Platini may have left the Europeans looking for a replacement candidate.

Another possibility is that the Dutchman could give it a second try and this time, actually follow through with his candidacy. Last year, van Praag withdrew from the race to throw his support behind Prince Ali bin al Hussein.