Speaking in his native Trinidad, Warner was quoted as telling local media he's not guilty of “a single iota of wrongdoing” ahead of facing FIFA's ethics committee in Zurich.

“The time has come when I must stop playing dead,” Warner said before flying to Switzerland on Saturday. “In the next couple days, you will see a football tsunami that will hit FIFA and the world that will shock you.” Football's world governing body is already reeling from its latest corruption scandal and the prospect of one or both candidates being kicked off the ballot scheduled on Wednesday.

Warner, a 28-year veteran of FIFA's executive committee, and Qatari challenger bin Hammam are accused of offering bribes to up to 25 Caribbean voters on a campaign visit.

Bin Hammam has suggested it's a conspiracy to remove him from the election contest.

Blatter faces allegations that he ignored the alleged corruption attempts in Trinidad, after bin Hammam succeeded in persuading FIFA to investigate its own president. FIFA's code of ethics imposes a duty of disclosure on officials to report corruption.

Blatter is skipping his intended visit to Saturday's Champions League final in London to prepare his defense. He was formally placed under suspicion only on Friday.

Long recognized as a key FIFA power broker, Warner faces the most serious fight of his football career.

Warner, who presides over the North, Central American and Caribbean (CONCACAF) regional body, promised that on Saturday he would publish his intended statement to the ethics panel and “all of the supporting documents” backing his case.

Caribbean Football Union members who have votes in the FIFA election were allegedly offered cash bribes at the May 10-11 conference in Trinidad, where Warner is a government minister. Delegates were allegedly offered $40,000 in cash for “development projects.” Bin Hammam has acknowledged paying for their travel and accommodation expenses, and conference costs, but denies vote-buying.

FIFA charged bin Hammam and Warner based on evidence supplied by Chuck Blazer, their executive committee colleague and Warner's longtime No. 2 at CONCACAF.

In confirming Blatter's summons, FIFA said the evidence file included Warner apparently commenting that his president “would have had no issue” with cash payments to delegates.

Warner dismissed suggestions that the file compiled by John Collins, a former United States federal prosecutor who is now a member of FIFA's legal committee, could end his career within football's ruling body.

“Why should (I) be hanged now and by whom? The American Chuck Blazer? His American lawyer John Collins? Give me a break guys,” Warner told reporters at Trinidad's parliament.

“I will hold my head high to the very end because I am not guilty of a single iota of wrongdoing. Que sera, sera.

I am not remotely bothered,” he said.

Two Caribbean Football Union staffers from Trinidad, Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester, have also been summoned to the FIFA ethics hearing.