Swiss authorities open their own criminal inquiry into FIFA's 2018, 2022 World Cup votes

Reporters gather outside a Zurich hotel where six FIFA officials were arrested Wenesday — (Image credit: BBC/YouTube)

Hours after arresting six FIFA officials at a luxury hotel in Zurich, based on U.S. criminal corruption charges, Swiss federal prosecutors announced their own investigation into FIFA's awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar, respectively. The Swiss prosecutors' office said police had seized "electronic data and documents" from FIFA's Swiss world headquarters, and will question 10 members of the soccer governing body's executive committee who took part in the controversial 2010 votes crowning the 2018 and 2022 hosts.

Switzerland's investigation is not related to the U.S. one, Swiss authorities say, but U.S. and Swiss officials are working together. In the video below, New York Times reporter Matt Apuzzo tells BBC News what he and his colleagues know so far, and how soccer "has never seen anything quite like this." —Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.