Police raid DFB headquarters in Euro 2024 ticket probe

German authorities conducted nationwide raids on Wednesday, including at the headquarters of the German Football Association (DFB), as part of a major corruption investigation into the allocation of tickets and hospitality packages for the 2024 European Championship. The operation involved more than 150 police officers and targeted multiple locations across the country.

Prosecutors from Bochum and the State Criminal Police Office of North Rhine-Westphalia confirmed the searches, stating the investigation concerns allegedly unauthorized benefits granted in connection with the tournament. The probe focuses on suspicions that several thousand match tickets and hotel accommodations were improperly funneled to preferred guests, bypassing standard public allocation systems.

A central figure in the investigation is a German national who was a municipal employee in Gelsenkirchen, one of the host cities for Euro 2024. He is suspected of receiving benefits including tickets, travel, and hotel stays valued at 2,736 euros. A French national is also under investigation. Authorities are examining whether such allocations constituted bribery of public officials, with host city administrations...