ZURICH (REUTERS) - They're arriving in Zurich to vote for a new leader, and turn the page on a dark chapter in Fifa history.

Former Fifa president Sepp Blatter, ousted amid a global corruption scandal on his watch, is to be replaced.

The world's soccer governing body is trying to restore its credibility after charges of bribery and kickbacks going back decades and amounting to tens of millions of dollars.

Five candidates for Fifa president hope to 'right the ship'.

Among them, Jordan's Prince Ali, who's pushing for full transparency for a vote that's meant to be secret.

"It's not a matter of making deals, that has exactly been what's been wrong with Fifa in the past." he said.

The crisis that led to this point, saw police raids at dawn, top officials arrested on both sides of the Atlantic, and Blatter himself resigning and then getting banned from Fifa in disgrace after an 18-year tenure.

European soccer boss Michel Platini was favored to replace Blatter, until he, too, was investigated for ethics violations over a US$2 million (S$2.8 million) payout.

The Zurich congress will also vote on a package of reforms deemed crucial for improving Fifa's image - like term limits for top officials and salary disclosures.

But for fans and players, it's about bring honesty back to the business of the world's most popular game.