Joseph Blatter seeks a fifth term as FIFA president on Friday in a contest with Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein towards the end of a busy week for the ruling football body.
The decision-making executive committee meets Monday and Tuesday, a medical congress follows over the next two days before the one-day FIFA Congress and a final executive committee meeting Saturday.
The presidential election Friday is the top event but could be overshadowed by a possible vote on a suspension of Israel's membership after an according motion by Palestine.
Blatter, 79, travelled to Palestine and Israel earlier in the week but was unable to have the motion dropped after meetings with state and football leaders from both sides. However, he expressed hope for a late solution ahead of the congress.
While the motion would unlikely get a required three-quarter majority from FIFA's 209 member federations, it would still cast a shadow over the day and thus the election as well.
The Swiss Blatter had originally planned to step down after now 17 years on the job but changed his mind last year as he told the 2014 congress in Sao Paulo that he is the right man to lead FIFA out of an image crisis over corruption allegations in various fronts.
"My mission is not finished yet and I tell you we will build the new FIFA. The (2015) congress will decide who will take this institution into the future. I am ready to take you forward," Blatter said at the time.
He is the big favourite as most confederations are to follow him but opposition is staunch at Europe's body UEFA who want Blatter out - and have bluntly told him so - and then to rebuild FIFA to make it credible again.
Blatter has an opponent for the first time since 2002 in the FIFA vice-president Prince Ali. Two other candidates, Dutch federation leader Michael van Praag and former Portugal great Luis Figo have withdrawn their bids.
Figo went out with a bang, furious that candidates were not allowed to speak before confederation congress delegates and Blatter not even bothering to provide a manifesto - let alone having a public debate.
"This (election) process is a plebiscite for the delivery of absolute power to one man," Figo said.
Prince Ali pledges to end a "culture of intimidation" at FIFA, plans to introduce more transparency and reintroduce a World Cup rotation system.
Blatter, who was cleared of personal wrongdoing in an ethics committee probe on the World Cup 2018 and 2022 bid process, has acknowledged "there is still work to be done in various areas" ranging from the promotion of the women's game to the fight against discrimination, racism and manipulation, and consolidating the relationship with sponsors.
Major World Cup sponsors such as Visa and Coca Cola have joined human rights and trade union organizations this week in condemning workers' rights conditions at the 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar and urging FIFA to do more in this area.
"We have expressed our grave concern to FIFA and urge them to take all necessary actions to work with the appropriate authorities and organizations to remedy this situation and ensure the health and safety of all involved," the credit card company Visa said Wednesday.
Amnesty International insisted that "FIFA has a clear responsibility to act in the face of the evidence of labour exploitation" while the ruling body itself said that "sustainable change in the whole country can only be reached in a collective effort."
The executive committee will hear a progress report on Qatar 2022 on Monday along with one on the match calendar as the tournament will be held in November/December to avoid the summer heat.
Russia 2018 progress will also be discussed against the backdrop of budget cuts and human rights concerns. Saturday's meeting will deal with the qualifying campaign and final slot allecations per confederation ahead of the July 25 preliminary round draw in St Petersburg.
