Fifa v Uefa match postponed after Sepp Blatter criminal proceedings

Platini (right) hopes to succeed Blatter as Fifa president when he stands down in 2016

An annual football match between the staff of Fifa and Uefa has been postponed after criminal proceedings were opened against the world governing body's president Sepp Blatter.

Prosecutors accuse Blatter, 79, of making a "disloyal payment" of £1.6m to Uefa president Michel Platini.

Both men deny any wrongdoing.

The staff match, which Blatter would usually travel to European governing body Uefa's headquarters in Nyon to watch, was scheduled for Friday.

Fifa did not give a reason for the cancellation, but said: "In a joint decision it was agreed to postpone the Uefa-Fifa Challenge 2015 until further notice."

Blatter is accused by Swiss prosecutors of signing a contract that was "unfavourable to Fifa", but says he will not stand down as Fifa president.

In a statement released through his lawyers, Blatter said a £1.5m payment made to Platini in 2011 was "valid compensation and nothing more".

Platini, 60, is being treated as "in between a witness and an accused person" by investigators.

The former France captain has written a letter to Uefa members denying any wrongdoing.