UEFA has called for Friday's election of a new president for football's world governing body Fifa to be postponed after nine of its officials were accused of breeding decades of "rampant, systemic and deep-rooted" corruption.
The hard-hitting allegations were made by US authorities, raising massive questions over the organisation's presidential election on Friday and the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Russia and Qatar. A separate Swiss investigation has been launched into possible criminal mismanagement of the allocations of these.
The Fifa officials, including vice-president Jeffrey Webb, former vice-president Jack Warner and seven others, have been charged with racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies in connection with an alleged "24-year scheme to enrich themselves through the corruption of international soccer", the US justice department said.
In light of the charges, Fifa's ethics committee immediately banned 11 people who are now being prosecuted from carrying out any football-related activities on a national and international level.
Hans-Joachim Eckert, chairman of Fifa's adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, said: "The charges are clearly related to football and are of such a serious nature that it was imperative to take swift and immediate action. The proceedings will follow their course in line with the Fifa Code of Ethics."
Uefa said yesterday's events show, "once again, that corruption is deeply rooted in Fifa's culture".
It claimed the Fifa Congress is at risk of turning in to a "farce" and European associations will have to "consider carefully" if they should even bother to attend.
The statement adds: "In the meantime, the members of the Uefa executive committee are convinced that there is a strong need for a change to the leadership of this Fifa and strongly believe that the Fifa Congress should be postponed, with new Fifa presidential elections to be organised within the next six months."
Fifa president Sepp Blatter, who is now under a fierce spotlight though he is not one of those arrested, issued a statement claiming that the bombshell legal actions are a positive step.
During his 17-year tenure there have been numerous corruption allegations surrounding Fifa officials but he still holds the formal backing from the Asian, African and South American confederations.
The defendants also include US and South American sports marketing executives who the department said "are alleged to have systematically paid and agreed to pay well over $150m US dollars (£98m) in bribes and kickbacks to obtain lucrative media and marketing rights to international soccer tournaments".
The FA, English football's governing body, has nominated rival Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan as the next president.
Football Association chairman Greg Dyke said: "There must be a question mark over whether the election should take place in these circumstances."
US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said the 47-strong count charge sheet alleges corruption that is "rampant, systemic and deep-rooted both abroad and here in the US".
She said: "It spans at least two generations of soccer officials who, as alleged, have abused their positions of trust to acquire millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks."
Events that were influenced by corruption included the award of the 2010 World Cup to South Africa and the 2011 Fifa presidential election, she said.
Extradition would be the next step in the legal process so those charged could face prosecution in the US.
Seven of the officials, including Webb, were arrested in an early morning raid at a Zurich hotel yesterday carried out by Swiss authorities at the request of the US.
The Swiss police raided the headquarters yesterday where it gathered data and documents as part of its investigation into "irregularities" surrounding the major tournaments.
Warner claimed: "I have been afforded no due process and I have not even been questioned in this matter. I reiterate that I am innocent of any charges."
* HANDS UP: Walter De Gregorio, Fifa director of communications and public affairs, addresses the media during a press conference at the Fifa headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland yesterday. Swiss federal prosecutors opened criminal proceedings related to the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, throwing FIFA deeper into crisis. Hours early US attorney general Loretta Lynch, top left, announces an indictment against nine Fifa officials and five corporate executives for racketeering, conspiracy and corruption
PICTURE: Ennio Leanza