It was the annual meeting of the international governing body of association football FIFA.

The congress saw the re-election of Joseph "Sepp" Blatter as the President of FIFA.

The election for the President of FIFA was held at the congress, with the incumbent, Joseph "Sepp" Blatter facing a challenge from the Cameroonian football executive and president of the Confederation of African Football, Issa Hayatou.

[1] Like the previous presidential election at the 51st FIFA Congress, this congress was overshadowed by accusations of fraud and corruption after 11 members of FIFA's Executive Committee had filed a criminal complaint against Blatter with courts in Zurich.

[2] A question and answer session was held at the congress the day before the election in which Blatter refused to allow Hayatou and the FIFA Vice-President David Will to take part.