The corruption trial of former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and ex-Uefa boss Michel Platini has been delayed by a day after the former said he was too ill to testify.

The day began with the 86-year-old Blatter arriving in court on day one of his fraud trial in the Swiss town of Bellinzona.

The former head of world football is accused of making corrupt payments – to the former head of European football Platini, who also appeared today.

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The trial will focus on a $2.1 million payment paid to Platini in 2011 for consultancy services, but for work carried out in 1998 and 2002. The payment was apparently agreed upon verbally between the two men. Swiss authorities dispute the legality of that claim.

The day ended earlier than expected, the former FIFA boss looking frail and more despondent than when he arrived earlier in the morning.

Asked by CGTN Europe how things went today Blatter said: "Not well.”

This was a trial seven years in the making. The two former football kingmakers have largely kept out of the public spotlight for most of that time. The main task of their lawyers will be to keep the two men who once used to rub shoulders with prime ministers and presidents out of prison.

Blatter's co-defendant, the former French team captain Michel Platini, has been accused by the Swiss authorities of unlawfully enriching himself. They also question the timing of the payment, claiming that it fell outside the five-year limit since the work was carried out.

Platini's lawyer Dominic Ellen said he and his team were confident the trial would go their way.

"We are looking forward to this trial and feel positive about this trial finally coming to court. Finally, we are in court and we feel our witnesses who will appear for us will be important to our case. Mr Platini feels positive about what our witnesses can bring."

The trial is set to continue until the  June 22, with both men having to wait until July 8 for the final verdict from the three judges who are presiding.