BERLIN, July 1 : German investigators launched nationwide searches on Wednesday, including at the offices of the DFB soccer association, as part of a probe into suspected ticket and hospitality violations at the 2024 European Championship, the Bild newspaper reported. The raids were prompted by investigations into a German national and a French national among others, Bild said. A joint statement by prosecutors in Bochum and the North Rhine-Westphalia state criminal office said searches were being conducted in several locations in Germany, without mentioning the DFB. The case involves hotel invitations and several thousand tickets that may have been illegally allocated to preferred guests prior to the 2024 Euros, which were hosted across 10 German cities, Bild said.
The German national, a municipal employee from Gelsenkirchen, one of the host cities, was suspected to have received tickets, travel and hotel benefits worth €2,400 ($2,736), Bild said. The statement also said the investigation concerned "unauthorized advantages, including a visit to an international football match". The DFB was not immediately available for comment. UEFA did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Prosecutors in Bochum declined further comment.($1 = 0.8772 euros)
