FIFA’s senior vice-president Julio Grondona then launched a stinging attack saying England is “always complaining”.

The Argentinian head of FIFA’s finance committee told the congress: “We always have attacks from England which are mostly lies with the support of journalism which is more busy lying than telling the truth. This upsets and disturbs the FIFA family.

“To present such a project as David Bernstein presented is like shooting a penalty because it cannot be always from the same place that the insults and problems come from.

“I see it at every congress. They have specific privileges with four countries having one vice-president. I don’t know what our president has said.

“But we have seen the World Cup go around the world, to South America and Africa and it looks like this country does not like it.

“It looks like England is always complaining so please I say will you leave the FIFA family alone, and when you speak, speak with truth.”

In an interview with a German press agency yesterday, Grondona called England “pirates” and added: “With the English [2018 World Cup] bid I said: Let us be brief. If you give back the Falkland Islands, which belong to us, you will get my vote. They then became sad and left.”

Bernstein had said the recent scandals, which have culminated in two of FIFA’s most senior figures being suspended on bribery charges, had led to a situation where the election should be re-opened to new candidates.

“We are faced with an unsatisfactory situation. We are subject to universal criticism from governments, sponsors, media and the wider world,” he said.

“With this background the election has turned into one-horse race.

“This should be avoided both for the sake of FIFA and the president itself. A coronation without an opponent provides a flawed mandate.”

After the vote, Blatter announced a major change to how World Cup hosts will be chosen.

In the future, the tournament’s hosts will be chosen by a vote of all the 208 member associations rather than the 24-man executive committee.

The chairman of the ethics committee – the watchdog group set up in 2006 to deal with claims of malpractice in FIFA – will in future also be elected by the congress.

Blatter suggested that a committee would be set up to examine FIFA’s corporate governance and recommend changes.

He said he would learn from the “public anger” and would lead FIFA out of their current predicament.

He said: “We have been hit and I personally have been slapped. We have made mistakes and we will learn from this. I can say to a certain extent that this is a good warning, not just to look into our problems and I am willing to face the public anger in order to serve football.

“I am the captain weathering the storm, this is a difficult period for FIFA and I admit that readily. Not only is the pyramid shaking but our ship has drawn some water.

“We must do something because I do not want ever again that we face this undignified situation.”

The leaders of associations from Haiti, the Congo DR, Benin, Fiji and Cyprus all spoke to criticise the FA’s move.

Selemani Owari, president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s football federation, made reference to ex-FA chairman Lord Triesman’s claims in Parliament of impropriety by four FIFA members during England’s failed 2018 World Cup bid.

A report into the claims has failed to provide corroborating evidence of the claims, and Selemani said: “We are ill at ease with people who wield unfounded accusations – he who accuses must provide evidence.

“FIFA belongs to 208 national associations and not to one association, we must not seek solutions thorough the media or a parliament in any third country.”

Bernstein insisted afterwards the FA's move had been worthwhile.

He said in a statement: “After hearing the speech from Sepp Blatter, we believe the calls we have made for greater transparency and better governance have been worthwhile.

“While we did not succeed in deferring the FIFA presidential election, it was positive to be joined by 16 other nations in supporting our democratic request for the vote to be delayed, while a further 17 nations abstaining clearly shows that we are not alone or isolated in our views in relation to the current situation FIFA finds itself in.”

He said the FA had played a significant role in changing the system for choosing World Cup hosts.

Bernstein added: “It is also encouraging to hear Mr Blatter announce that the Ethics Committee will also be accountable to FIFA Congress. We are confident this is a further important step forward towards an approach of greater transparency and accountability.

“We welcome Mr Blatter’s proposals for the creation of a committee to oversee the improvement of FIFA’s governance arrangements. We are pleased that this committee will be answerable to Congress, however we wish to see the make-up of this committee include independent members, to ensure that appropriate solutions are identified using external benchmarks and expertise.”