The Fifa presidential candidate Tokyo Sexwale says he wants national teams to be able to wear sponsors’ names on their shirts at an expanded World Cup tournament.

The South African, a prisoner under apartheid who became a politician and businessman, unveiled his election manifesto on Wednesday as he aims to replace Sepp Blatter at the top of world football’s governing body in the 26 February vote.

Sexwale said the crisis at Fifa, which faces investigations from the US Department of Justice and Swiss authorities and was hit by the indictment of 14 football officials and sports marketing executives in May, can be “utilised to turn things around and renew Fifa”.

Repeating his call for a strong commitment to development programmes to help the game outside its profitable centre in Europe, Sexwale promised an “open-door policy” to national associations and to “allow stakeholders easier access” to the Fifa president.

But his most eye-catching proposal is to allow national associations to generate more sponsorship revenue by allowing company logos on shirts.

Sexwale said he would “seriously explore the possibility of the national jersey, as happens in other sporting codes, bearing the logo of the main sponsor – not only the jersey-maker as is currently the case. There is space there for much value worth millions of dollars which will be destined directly into [various] FAs’ coffers,” he said.

Shirt sponsorship became widespread in the club game in the 1980s but Fifa has not allowed deals for national team jerseys, with national football associations limited to sponsorship on training tops and off-the-field equipment.

Sexwale said that Fifa needs to “take a hard look, with sensitivity” at the imbalances in representation at World Cups among regional confederations. Europe, which has 53 FAs, has 13 World Cup slots while Africa, with 54 members, has only five.

The South African proposed no specific numbers but opened the door to an expansion of Fifa’s biggest tournament. “Concerning the number of national teams in the World Cup, it is proposed this be above the current 32 teams, subject to an inclusive discussion by the Fifa executive committee,” he said.

Sexwale called for the creation of an international advisory board made up of 11 “internationally respected eminent persons from various walks of life, including football”.

He said this body, which would meet annually “to share its critical views with and about Fifa” would be “part of the effort to win back the trust and confidence of various stakeholders following the disruptive corruption allegations which have damaged the Fifa brand”.