Six of the FIFA executives arrested in Zurich on Wednesday say they will fight extradition to the United States where they face fraud and racketeering charges.
In total, fourteen people have been indicted by the US Department of Justice, which says FIFA has engaged in "rampant corruption" stretching back more than 2 decades.
Our US Correspondent Simon Marks reports.
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The stage is now set for a possibly lengthy extradition process, with at least 6 FIFA executives saying they plan to fight America's attempt to put them on trial in New York.
Dragged from their hotel rooms on Wednesday, US officials say the arrests made in Zurich are just a start….with more expected soon.
US Attorney General, Loretta Lynch.
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But it's not just FIFA executives who have been snared in the Americans' net.
In South Africa, there's been consternation over allegations that the government was willing to pay Fifa's former Vice President Jack Warner ten million dollars in exchange for his vote when the country successfully sought the 2010 World Cup.
The indictment claims stacks of American currency were handed over in a Paris hotel room.
And the Americans also say sports marketing companies are in their crosshairs for corruption in the sponsorship process.
The Wall Street Journal reports that a successful bid by Nike to back the Brazilian national team is now in the investigative spotlight.
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Matt Apuzzo of the New York Times says this first round of indictments could just be a start.
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There will be those….including the indicted FIFA executives…who question why the Americans think they have the jurisdiction to press all these charges.
US officials say it's simple: the accused used American bank accounts to process their allegedly ill-gotten gains….and the FBI director said the indictments send a message that any criminality that touches American shores will touch off American investigations.