Swiss authorities are arresting several top FIFA officials in Zurich and plan to extradite them to the United States where they will face federal corruption charges, according to reports.
The New York Times says that more than a dozen plain-clothed Swiss law enforcement officials arrived unannounced at the Baur au Lac hotel in the early hours of Wednesday morning as leaders of FIFA gathered for their annual meeting.
The charges allege there has been widespread corruption throughout football's governing body over the past 20 years, involving bids for World Cups as well as marketing and broadcast deals.
More than 10 officials, including vice presidents Jeffrey Webb and Eugenio Figueredo and former executive committee member Jack Warner, face charges of wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering, according to the Times.
The Wall Street Journal reported that prosecutors plan to unseal indictments in New York as early as Wednesday, when recently appointed U.S. attorney general Loretta E. Lynch and FBI director James Corney are expected to host a news conference.
The arrests come just days before the vote for Friday's vote for FIFA president, in which Sepp Blatter is widely expected to win re-election to a fifth term.
Blatter was not among those charged on Wednesday morning, the Times reported.
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