Some senior officials of the world football governing body FIFA, have been arrested by Swiss authorities in Zurich, over corruption charges brought by the US.
According to The New York Times, they were arrested on allegations related to wire fraud, money laundering and racketeering. More than 10 senior officials are believed to be involved.
Investigations into TV and marketing deals and bidding for World Cups, have already begun.
“We’re struck by just how long this went on for and how it touched nearly every part of what FIFA did,” a law enforcement official told the Times.
“It just seemed to permeate every element of the federation and was just their way of doing business. It seems like this corruption was institutionalised.”
The US is expected to seek extradition of the officials who have been arrested.
Meanwhile, two criminal probes into corruption at football’s governing body Fifa are under way, after seven senior officials were arrested in Zurich on US charges.
Separately, Swiss prosecutors launched a criminal case into the bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, to be held in Russia and Qatar respectively.
Nine football officials are among 14 people indicted on corruption charges, the US justice department says.
Fifa plans to go ahead with elections for its next president on Friday.
Incumbent President Sepp Blatter is seeking a fifth term. He was not one of those arrested.
Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein of Jordan – Mr Blatter’s rival for the Fifa presidency – described the arrests as “a sad day for football”.
Fifa’s Zurich headquarters has also been raided, with electronic data and documents seized.