US Attorney-General Loretta Lynch has alleged that FIFA officials took bribes totaling hundreds of millions of dollars over more than 20 years to allocate tournaments and rig elections.
The awarding of hosting rights for the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa is also being investigated however SA sports officials say that the tournament was legitimately awarded to the country.
US prosecutors have accused several Fifa officials of racketeering, fraud and money laundering involving tens of millions of dollars over 24 years.
Prosecutors said they had discovered a dozen schemes, including one awarding the 2010 World Cup to South Africa.
Fourteen people have been indicted, with seven held in Zurich on Wednesday.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter, who is not among them, issued a statement vowing to kick out corrupt officials.
Fifa also announced a “swift and immediate provisional ban” from football-related activity on 11 of the people involved in the US prosecution.
Fifa says it still intends to hold its presidential election on Friday. Mr Blatter is favoured to win a fifth term.
These are the FIFA officials who were arrested early Wednesday for corruption allegations
1. Jeffrey Webb, 50, of the Cayman Islands, current FIFA vice president and executive committee member
2.Eduardo Li, 56, of Costa Rica, current FIFA executive committee member-elect
3.Julio Rocha, 64, of Nicaragua, current FIFA development officer;
4.Costas Takkas, 58, of United Kingdom, current attaché to the CONCACAF president
5.Eugenio Figueredo, 83, of the U.S. and Uruguay, current FIFA vice president
6.Rafael Esquivel, 68, of Venezuela, current CONMEBOL executive committee member and Venezuelan soccer federation (FVF) president.
7.José Maria Marin, 83, of Brazil, current member of the FIFA organizing committee for the Olympic football tournaments; former CBF president.
8.Jack Warner, 72, of Trinidad and Tobago, former FIFA vice president and executive committee member
9.Nicolas Leoz, 86, of Paraguay, former FIFA executive committee member and CONMEBOL president.
