German authorities conducted nationwide searches on Wednesday, targeting the German Football Association (DFB) headquarters in Frankfurt and several city halls over suspected bribery and illicit hospitality perks tied to the Euro 2024 tournament.
More than 150 officers from the Bochum prosecutors' office and North Rhine-Westphalia state police took part in the operation, according to reports by Bild and Reuters.
Investigators are probing allegations that thousands of match tickets and exclusive hotel invitations were illegally distributed to preferred guests during the European Championship hosted by Germany two years ago.
Search warrants were executed in Gelsenkirchen, Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Stuttgart, Munich, Dortmund, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, and Leipzig.
The investigation focuses on a 66-year-old German national, a former Gelsenkirchen city administration employee, and a 46-year-old French national accused of facilitating structured preferential treatment.
The French suspect allegedly invited former heads of Euro 2024 host city offices to top-tier matches, while the German suspect is being investigated regarding the Spain-France semifinal in Munich.
Unauthorized benefits including tournament tickets, travel, and hotel accommodations valued at €2,400 (£2,000) were unlawfully received by public sector employees, investigators said.
The DFB confirmed its central offices were searched but clarified that the organization itself is not a target of the corruption probe.
"The investigation concerns neither the DFB as an organisation nor any individual employees or officials," the DFB stated.
"Rather, the DFB is involved in these proceedings solely as a witness and has pledged full cooperation with the authorities."
The tournament was overseen by Euro 2024 GmbH, a joint venture between the DFB and UEFA.
State prosecutors and police said the inquiry focuses on municipal staff who improperly accepted tournament access from the organizing body.
"The investigations concern alleged unauthorised favours including attendance to a football game among others that an accused individual, who was working for a host city at the time, is said to have received from officials of the organising entity," prosecutors in Bochum and police in North Rhine-Westphalia said in a joint statement.
Authorities noted that preferential access was systematically offered to specific municipal administrations involved in hosting the event.
"In addition, the host cities are said to have been offered exclusive pre-purchase rights for tickets by those responsible at the organising entity," the joint statement added.
The German suspect was already known to local police following previous separate allegations involving fraud and the withholding or embezzlement of wages.
North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul affirmed that public officials face strict penalties for accepting tournament perks.
"A football ticket is not part of one's salary.
Anyone in the public sector who has their hand out will get a visit from us," Reul told Bild.
The minister emphasized that the integrity of major sporting tournaments depends heavily on the transparency of public administration.
"Major events like the European football championship, in particular, rely on public trust – trust in the sport and in the authorities that make it possible.
We will not allow that trust to be damaged by a few invitations and tickets," Reul said.
The judicial raids took place two days after the German national team was eliminated from the World Cup following a penalty shootout defeat against Paraguay.
