Australia wants Sepp Blatter ousted as FIFA president in the wake of the unprecedented corruption scandal engulfing soccer.

And support is growing for the man challenging Blatter, Ali bin Al-Hussein from Jordan, ahead of Saturday’s (AEST) election.

“FFA believes that profound change within FIFA is needed as soon as possible to address issues of governance and transparency,” FFA chairman Frank Lowy said in a statement on Thursday night.

“This belief will be reflected when Australia casts its vote in the presidential election, should it proceed on Friday (European time) in Zurich.

“The board of FFA has reviewed the manifesto for change proposed by Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein and believes it provides the basis for a fresh start for FIFA.”

Lowy’s statement came soon after he arrived in Zurich amid the ongoing corruption scandal where 14 people, including nine current or former FIFA office holders, were arrested on corruption charges.

[Blatter addressed the scandal at the opening of the FIFA congress overnight – watch his speech below.]

The United States, England and Canada have since come out in support of Ali ahead of the presidential vote.

“I’ve gotten to know Prince Ali well over the last couple of years. He has been a really active member of the executive committee and an active proponent of reform at FIFA,” said US Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati said, from the FIFA meeting in Zurich.

“If you get good governance and good leadership, you make good decisions, and those good decisions will lead to the right outcomes.

“Whether it’s where World Cups are played or how many teams are in World Cups or anything else. So for us, this is a vote for good governance.”

Meanwhile sponsors Coca-Cola, Adidas, McDonald’s and Visa are pressing FIFA to clean up and have called for stronger ethical standards.

Visa says it may pull its sponsorship if FIFA’s ethical problems aren’t addressed.

“Our disappointment and concern with FIFA in light of today’s developments is profound,” the company said in a strongly worded statement, adding that it expects the football organisation to rebuild with “strong ethical practices”.

“Should FIFA fail to do so, we have informed them that we will reassess our sponsorship,” Visa said.

Coca-Cola, which pays an estimated $US30 million ($A38.8 million) a year to be one of five official FIFA Partners, issued a stern rebuke to the organisation.

“This lengthy controversy has tarnished the mission and ideals of the FIFA World Cup and we have repeatedly expressed our concerns about these serious allegations. We expect FIFA to continue to address these issues thoroughly,” the company said.

“McDonald’s takes matters of ethics and corruption very seriously,” the US fast-food company, an official sponsor of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

“We are in contact with FIFA on this matter. We will continue to monitor the situation very closely.”

Adidas said it would encourage football’s global governing body “to establish and follow transparent compliance standards in everything they do”.

Budweiser, the US beer unit of Belgian brewing giant AB InBev, said: “We expect all of our partners to maintain strong ethical standards and operate with transparency.”

Police arrested seven current FIFA officials in dawn raids at a luxury Zurich hotel at the behest of United States authorities.

The seven are among 14 people, including one with dubious connections to Australia’s failed bid to host the 2022 World Cup, charged with racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies.

The US is seeking their extradition to face charges they conspired to solicit and receive more than $US150 million ($A194 million) in bribes and kickbacks, in exchange for their support of marketing executives who agreed to make the illegal payments.

US authorities say those charged face up to 20 years in jail if found guilty.

The arrests came as Swiss investigators separately raided the head offices of FIFA in Zurich in a fresh probe into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively.

The Swiss investigation is expected to examine corruption claims dogging Australia’s futile bid to host the 2022 World Cup.

The Australian government spent some $A46 million on its 2022 bid, which received just one vote of support.

The Swiss probe will likely examine the FFA’s payment to Jack Warner who is central to corruption allegations regarding Australia’s unsuccessful bid.

Warner, a former FIFA vice-president from Trinidad and Tobago, was among the 14 people arrested and charged with eight corruption counts.

Warner has denied any wrongdoing but two of his sons have pleaded guilty to charges related to the investigation into bribery and kickbacks involving FIFA officials and sports marketing firms.

Australia paid Warner $A500,000 in 2010 – funds meant for soccer stadium upgrades but which he allegedly kept after they were deposited in his personal bank account.

The Australian Federal Police said it may also investigate the payment after the matter was raised by South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon during a Senate hearing in Canberra on Thursday.

– AAP