Russian President Vladimir Putin said the United States is meddling in FIFA's affairs in an attempt to take the 2018 World Cup away from his country.

Putin said in televised comments Thursday that it is "odd" that the probe was launched at the request of U.S. officials for crimes which do not involve its citizens and did not happen in the United States.'

Two of the 14 people charged by U.S. prosecutors on Wednesday have U.S. citizenship.

Football's world governing body was plunged into crisis after a wave of arrests of football officials, including two FIFA vice-presidents, in Zurich on Wednesday on bribery, fraud and money laundering charges after an FBI investigation.

The U.S. Department of Justice indicted 14 people for alleged bribes totalling more than $150 million (£98 million) they say had been paid for television rights, sponsorship deals and World Cup votes.

The charges allege that 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.