German FA headquarters raided by 150 investigators over Euro 2024 bribery allegations

Around 150 investigators raided the German Football Association’s (DFB) headquarters in Frankfurt am Main on Wednesday, executing searches tied to a bribery investigation connected to last year’s Euro 2024 tournament. The operation comes just days after Germany’s shock penalty shootout exit to Paraguay at the World Cup.

According to German publication Bild, the investigation centres on two individuals — a 66-year-old German and a 46-year-old Frenchman — over suspicions of ‘structured preferential treatment’ and bribery. Authorities allege that tickets and hotel invitations were illegally distributed to ‘favoured guests’ ahead of and during the tournament, which Germany hosted.

The DFB’s Frankfurt base served as the registered office for Euro 2024 GmbH, the company created to organise the championship. Beyond the DFB headquarters, a company in Bavaria was also searched, along with city administrations in nine host cities: Gelsenkirchen, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart, and Munich.

North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul was unequivocal in his response. “A football ticket is not part of a salary,” he told Bild. “Anyone in the public service who expects a bribe will receive a visit from us. Large events like the European Football Championship, in particular, depend on people’s trust in the sport and in the authorities who make it possible. We will not allow this trust to be damaged by a few invitations and tickets.”

The Frenchman under scrutiny is alleged to have been responsible for relations with Euro 2024 host cities and is said to have invited senior officials to key matches, including the semi-final between Spain and France in Munich. The German individual under investigation reportedly received a financial package worth approximately €2,400 (£2,065), covering travel and hotel costs. He is no longer employed by his city’s administration and has separately come to police attention on suspicion of fraud and embezzlement. His private residence is among the locations being searched. Bild reports the Frenchman has no prior police record.

The raid adds to an already turbulent week for German football. On the pitch, the DFB faces mounting questions over the national team’s direction following Monday’s World Cup elimination by Paraguay, with speculation over head coach Julian Nagelsmann’s future intensifying. Nagelsmann remains under contract through the 2028 European Championship, though reports have already linked Jürgen Klopp to the role.