FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who is under pressure to resign over corruption allegations within world football's governing body, has said he cannot be held responsible for the corruption scandal and that the organisation must earn lost trust back.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 65th FIFA Congress in Zurich in Switzerland Mr Blatter said: "I am sure bad news may follow, but it is necessary to begin to restore trust in our organisation. Actions of individuals bring shame and humiliation on football and demand action and change from us all.
"We cannot allow the reputation of FIFA and football to be dragged through the mud, it has to stop here and now.
"I know many people hold me ultimately responsible for actions of football's governing community. I cannot monitor everyone all of the time, if people want to do wrong they will also try to hide.
"But it must fall to me for the responsibility for organisation and find a way to fix things", he added.
Meanwhile, the United Nations has said it is reviewing its partnerships with FIFA following the allegations.
A UN spokesperson said the organisation is looking at existing partnerships in areas such as health, gender equality and child protection.
Earlier, UEFA president Michel Platini has called on FIFA president Sepp Blatter to stand down and said the "vast majority" of European nations will vote against him in tomorrow's leadership election.
He was speaking following a meeting in which Mr Blatter met with the heads of FIFA's six confederations in Zurich.
The heads and representatives of the Asia Football Conderation (AFC), CONMEBOL (South America), CAF (Africa), OFC (Oceania) and CONCACAF (North, Central American and Caribbean), as well as UEFA were at the meeting.
Mr Platini later said he was "sickened" and "disgusted" by the corruption scandal.
He said he confronted Mr Blatter during the meeting and called on him to stand down, but he refused.
Mr Platini later made a public appeal at a press conference for member nations to vote against Mr Blatter.
"I asked him to resign: enough is enough, Sepp. He listened to me but he told me it is too late", Mr Platini said.
"I say these things with tears in my eyes. I don't like it this way. But there are just too many scandals."
UEFA also confirmed it would be attending the FIFA Congress as planned after earlier calling for it and the presidential election to be postponed following the arrest of senior FIFA figures on corruption charges.
Mr Blatter's only challenger is Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Hussein.
CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb, who was not present at this morning's meeting, has been provisionally dismissed from his role.
Mr Webb, who also served as FIFA vice-president, was among the officials arrested in Zurich as part of the corruption scandal.
Seven FIFA officials were detained by Swiss police at the request of United States authorities accused of taking more than $150 million in bribes.
The US wants the seven extradited to face trial there.
Separately, Swiss investigators raided FIFA's headquarters as part of an investigation into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar.
FIFA is also facing the collapse of lucrative World Cup sponsorship deals following yesterday's arrests.
Leading FIFA executives among those under investigation
Timeline of FIFA world cup scandal
Visa threatened to break off its contract while other global brands such as Nike, adidas and Budweiser issued strongly-worded statements putting pressure on FIFA to take immediate action to restore its reputation.
Visa said its "disappointment and concern" was "profound" as it warned FIFA to begin changes immediately.
It said: "Our sponsorship has always focused on supporting the teams, enabling a great fan experience, and inspiring communities to come together and celebrate the spirit of competition and personal achievement - and it is important that FIFA makes changes now, so that the focus remain on these going forward.
"Should FIFA fail to do so, we have informed them that we will reassess our sponsorship."
Mr Blatter is under increasing pressure to resign before tomorrow's leadership election.
FAI Chief Executive John Delaney has said David Gill will reject a place on FIFA's Executive Committee if Mr Blatter is re-elected.
The vice-chairman of the English FA told a meeting of UEFA members he will not take up his place if Prince Ali loses the election.
Mr Delaney also said the meeting agreed to throw its full weight behind Prince Ali.
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said a UK politician in the same position as Mr Blatter "would be struggling to cling on".
"There's no doubt, and there's been no doubt for many years, that FIFA needs to clean up its act," he told Sky News.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has also backed Prince Ali.
Britain has long been a critic of FIFA and unsuccessfully bid for the 2018 World Cup which was awarded to Russia.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said it "would make sense" to delay tomorrow's vote in light of the latest corruption investigation.
Mr Fabius said time was needed to establish exactly what was going on at FIFA.
"It's been several years that there have been accusations of corruption. It would make sense to take a bit of time, see what is true and not and then the authorities can adjudicate, but for now, it's giving a disastrous image," Mr Fabius told France Inter radio.
"I'm saying this on a personal level, but it would seem to make sense [to delay the election]," he said.
South Africa denies bribes paid to host tournament
South African sports minister Fikile Mbalula has denied allegations that huge bribes were paid to win the right to host the 2010 World Cup, saying public money had not been given to "criminals".
The US attorney general alleges FIFA officials took cash in return for awarding the tournament to South Africa.
The US indictment alleged that bundles of cash in a briefcase were handed over at a Paris hotel as a bribe by a "high-ranking South African bid committee official".
It also alleged the South Africa government agreed that $10 million that was due to be paid to South Africa to run the World Cup was instead transferred from FIFA's funds to pay bribes to former FIFA vice president Jack Warner.
Mr Mbalula criticised how the US had made its allegations without consulting South Africa.
