US attorney general Loretta Lynch said organisations involved were entrusted with keeping soccer open and accessible to all.

“They held important responsibilities at every level,” she said. “They were expected to uphold the rules that keep soccer honest. Instead they corrupted the business of worldwide soccer to serve their interests and enrich themselves.”

She said the 14 defendants included high-ranking officials at Fifa, the international organisation responsible for regulating and promoting soccer.

Events that were influenced by corruption include the award of the 2010 World Cup to South Africa and the 2011 Fifa presidential election, she said.

Chief Richard Weber of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) said: “This is the World Cup of fraud, and today we are issuing Fifa with the red card.''

Acting US Attorney Kelly Currie, of the Eastern District of New York, said the corruption conspiracy extended to the decision to make South Africa the hosts of the 2010 World Cup and the Fifa presidential elections in 2011.

He told a press conference: “The World Cup 2010 selection bribery scheme which is described in the indictment alleges that in connection with the selection of South Africa to host the 2010 World Cup, there were bribes paid in connection with that scheme.”

He added: “In addition, the 2011 scheme to influence the presidency of Fifa, the Asia Football Confederation, a high ranking official involved in that scheme was involved in paying bribes as part of that Fifa presidential election.

“This sort of bribery and corruption in international soccer has been going on for two decades.

“Our investigation, the hard work that led to the charges here today, that itself took years.”

Ms Lynch added: ``In short, these individuals through these organisations... engaged in bribery to decide who would televise games, where the games would be held and who would run the organisation overseeing organised soccer worldwide.

“While at least one Fifa executive served as Concacaf president without pay, there was little altruism involved as he alone is alleged to have taken more than 10 million (£6.5 million) in bribes over a 19-year period and amassed a personal fortune from his ill gotten gains.”

She added that many of the schemes were allegedly planned in meetings in America, where banking and wire facilities were exploited to distribute their bribes.

Earlier FAI Chief John Delaney said he was "shocked' by the extent of the corruption allegations.

"I made it very clear the FAI would not vote for Sepp Blatter as president of FIFA," he said. "Even though he's not directly involved in anything that's happened overnight, he has presided over FIFA.

"He has been the man in charge while all of these corruption and bribery allegations have been floating around FIFA for years. It's shocking."