The furore surrounding Fifa showed no sign of abating on Tuesday, as football's governing body pressed ahead with plans for Wednesday's one-man presidential election.

Incumbent Sepp Blatter is unopposed following Sunday's withdrawal of rival Mohamed Bin Hammam amid claims of corruption.

The Qatari is accused of making bribe payments to members of the Caribbean federation in return for their votes in tomorrow's election. Bin Hammam and Fifa vice-president Jack Warner are suspended from football-related activities as a result.

Their response has been to make counter-allegations, accusing Blatter of also making illegal payments and also suggesting senior figures at Fifa believed Qatar had "bought" the rights to host the 2022 World Cup finals.

The English Football Association called for Wednesday's election to be postponed. They had already agreed to abstain in the vote, as they felt neither candidate could be backed.

David Bernstein, the FA chairman, said the election should be put on hold and an independent inquiry held into all the allegations.

“This has been a very damaging time for the reputation of Fifa and therefore the whole of football," he said.

"To improve confidence in the way the game is governed at the very top, we believe these requests would be a positive step forward and the minimum that should take place.”

The affair may have a damaging effect on Fifa's high-profile sponsors, with soft drinks firm Coca-Cola and sportswear maker adidas raising concerns. Both, however, reaffirmed their commitment to working with Fifa.