German police raid DFB headquarters over Euro 2024 ticketing probe

German investigators searched the DFB headquarters in Frankfurt and multiple other locations on Wednesday in a probe into alleged improper ticket and hospitality benefits tied to Euro 2024.

Prosecutors in Bochum and North Rhine-Westphalia police said the German Football Association is not a suspect. They said the DFB is involved only as a witness and is cooperating with the inquiry.

The DFB said the search took place at its campus and confirmed it was working with authorities. The probe centers on allegations of undue advantages linked to tournament access and hospitality.

What investigators are examining

According to the official statements and German reporting, the case concerns alleged benefits granted to a host-city employee, including match attendance and other perks.

Officials also said host cities were allegedly offered exclusive pre-purchase rights for tickets by those responsible at the organizing entity for Euro 2024.

German reporting said the investigation also involves a German national and a French national as suspected bribery subjects. Those claims have not yet been framed publicly as charges.

The reports did not say prosecutors had brought any formal charges. At this stage, the case appears to be at the evidence-gathering stage, with searches carried out across several sites.

How the case developed

The first public reports of the searches appeared on July 1, 2026, with German-language coverage saying prosecutors and state police were carrying out nationwide raids over suspected benefits tied to Euro 2024 tickets.

Later reporting confirmed that DFB offices were among the sites searched and that the federation was being treated as a witness. Bild, as relayed by Reuters and other outlets, said more than 150 officers were involved and that several city administrations were searched.

Welt reported earlier in the day that prosecutors and state police had searched numerous municipal administrations, though it said the DFB headquarters had not initially been confirmed. By the time later reports emerged, the DFB site was clearly identified as one of the search locations.

Euro 2024 backdrop

Euro 2024 took place in Germany in June and July 2024 and was co-organized by Euro 2024 GmbH, a joint venture between the DFB and UEFA.

The new inquiry is focused on ticket allocation and hospitality rather than the tournament itself. The allegations reach back to how access and benefits may have been handled around the event, including possible pre-sale rights for host cities.

That timing matters because the suspected conduct concerns decisions made before and during the tournament, even though the police action came two years later.

Why it matters

The investigation raises questions about how tickets and hospitality were handled around one of Europe’s biggest sporting events. It also puts pressure on public-sector bodies involved in the process, especially municipal administrations in host cities.

For the DFB, the immediate reputational risk is significant even though prosecutors say it is not under suspicion. A search of the federation’s headquarters is likely to intensify scrutiny of its role in the wider ticketing system.

The case also matters for broader confidence in sports governance and in the integrity of major tournament allocations. Allegations involving public employees, tournament access and hospitality can quickly become a public-trust issue beyond football.

What happens next

Authorities have not yet publicly said whether additional city administrations or companies were searched beyond the DFB headquarters.

They have also not said how many tickets or hospitality packages are under review, whether formal charges will follow, or whether the two reported suspects will be named publicly.

Investigators are now expected to determine whether the alleged benefits amount to bribery or other improper advantages, and whether more suspects will be identified in the coming days.

,