It follows the Committee's Investigatory Chamber calling for Chirakal to be banned for life earlier this month following an investigation into his conduct.

The enquiry, led by Vanessa Allard, found that Chirakal had violated seven articles of the FIFA Code of Ethics.

He is accused of being involved in illegal payments made to several football officials.

Chirakal was previously suspended by FIFA in 2012 for failing to collaborate with an investigation into bin Hammam, the former Asian Football Confederation (AFC) chief banned for bribery by FIFA ahead of the Presidential elections five years ago, when he was standing against Sepp Blatter.

The final version of Allard's report, together with recommendations, was submitted to the Adjudicatory Chamber, chaired by Hans-Joachim Eckert, which has now confirmed it has opened proceedings.

Bin Hammam, who withdrew three days before the Presidential vote, was alleged to have offered money to several Caribbean Football Union members in an attempt to win their support.

The Qatari was banned for life in 2011 for his part in the cash-for-votes scandal, but later had this annulled at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) who found "insufficient evidence" to support the sanction.

He was banned for life again by FIFA in December 2012, supposedly for "conflicts of interest" in his role as AFC President.

"The Adjudicatory Chamber of the independent Ethics Committee, under its chairman Hans-Joachim Eckert, has opened formal adjudicatory proceedings against Najeeb Chirakal based on the final report submitted by the Investigatory Chamber on November 2, 2016," a FIFA statement said today.

"In the course of the proceedings, Mr Chirakal will be invited to submit his position including any evidence with regard to the final report of the investigatory chamber.

"For reasons linked to privacy rights and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the Adjudicatory Chamber will not publish further details at the present time."