Former soccer officials Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini were charged with fraud and other offenses by Swiss prosecutors, Tuesday, after a six-year investigation into a controversial $2 million payment.

Blatter, 85, who led world governing body FIFA and Platini, 66, who headed European football's UEFA now face a trial within months at a federal criminal court in Bellinzona, Switzerland.

"This payment damaged FIFA's assets and unlawfully enriched Platini," Swiss federal prosecutors said in a statement.

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The case was opened in September 2015 and led to Blatter being ousted ahead of schedule as FIFA president. It also ended then-UEFA president Platini's campaign to succeed his former mentor.

Swiss cases often take years to reach a conclusion.

The case centers on Platini's written request to FIFA in January 2011 to be paid backdated additional salary for working as a presidential adviser in Blatter's first term, from 1998-2002.

Blatter authorized FIFA to make the payment within weeks. He was preparing to campaign for re-election in a contest against Mohamed bin Hammam of Qatar, where Platini's influence with European voters was a key factor.

"The evidence gathered by the [attorney general's office] has corroborated that this payment to Platini was made without a legal basis," prosecutors said.

Both Blatter and Platini have long denied wrongdoing and cited a verbal agreement they had made, now more than 20 years ago, for the money to be paid.

Blatter has been charged with fraud, mismanagement, misappropriation of FIFA funds and forgery of a document. Platini has been charged with fraud, misappropriation, forgery and as an accomplice to Blatter's alleged mismanagement.