Former Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) chief Sepp Blatter and former Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) chief Michel Platini are due to start an 11-day trial in a Swiss court in Bellinzona on Wednesday. The pair are tried over a payment of two million Swiss francs ($2.08 million) arranged in 2011 from FIFA to Platini during Blatter's first term as FIFA chief.

Platini, then UEFA chief, was invited to be a special advisor to FIFA, regarding which both people claimed they had a verbal deal dating back to 1998. In 2015, however, Swiss prosecutors found that the payment made to Platini for consultancy work and authorized by Blatter "was made without a legal basis," as there was never a legally binding contract.

The FIFA ethics committee banned both from the sport that same year, which led to Blatter stepping down as FIFA chief days after he won a record fifth election, as well as Platini falling short on his hope to succeed Blatter and resigning from UEFA in 2016.

The trial will be held before a panel of three judges, who are expected to deliver a verdict on July 8.

(With input from AFP)