Six football officials have been arrested over corruption charges at governing body Fifa, as Swiss prosecutors launch a criminal case into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids, the BBC reports.
The suspects, who are said to include a FIFA vice-president, have been detained pending extradition to the US.
It involves alleged bribes worth about $100m over two decades.
FIFA members are due on Friday to vote for a new president, with incumbent Sepp Blatter seeking a fifth term.
However, Mr Blatter is not understood to be one of those arrested.
Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein of Jordan – Mr Blatter’s rival for the FIFA presidency – described the development as “a sad day for football”, but withheld from commenting further.
FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich has also been raided by police, with documents seized, Swiss prosecutors say.
One of the highest ranking official charged is Jeffrey Webb, a FIFA vice president and head of CONCACAF, the FIFA-affiliated governing body for North America and the Caribbean.
Other officials include: Jack Warner, former FIFA vice president and executive committee member; Eugenio Figueredo, FIFA vice president and executive committee member; and Nicolás Leoz, former FIFA executive committee member.
Several sports-marketing executives are also charged.