Corruption Raid Over Euro 2024 Tickets: Searches in Multiple Cities

According to an LKA spokesperson, premises in several federal states were searched. The measures were directed at employees of municipal administrations who are suspected of unlawfully obtaining advantages in connection with the allocation of the tickets. The investigators emphasized that the legal measures were still ongoing at the time of reporting: "Die Maßnahmen dauerten noch an."

Investigations Over Acceptance and Granting of Benefits

At the center of the investigations is the charge of accepting and granting benefits. Under German criminal law, civil servants and comparable public-sector employees commit an offense if, in connection with their official position, they demand, allow themselves to be promised, or accept advantages. The relevant section provides for fines or imprisonment of up to three years, and in particularly serious cases, longer sentences.

The "Bild" newspaper had reported that the headquarters of the German Football Association (DFB) in Frankfurt had also been searched. The investigators initially did not wish to confirm this information. "Informationen der 'Bild'-Zeitung, wonach auch die Zentrale des Deutschen Fußball-Bunds in Frankfurt durchsucht worden sei, bestätigten die Ermittler zunächst nicht", it was said from circles close to the investigators. Whether and to what extent DFB premises were affected thus remained open for the time being.

DFB Headquarters: Search Initially Not Confirmed

The investigations are being conducted by the Bochum public prosecutor's office as the competent authority together with the LKA North Rhine-Westphalia. Both bodies were also responsible for confirming the searches to the press. The authorities explicitly stressed that the presumption of innocence applies to the suspects.

"Es gelte die Unschuldsvermutung", the investigators clarified. At the same time, they pointed out that the suspects had so far had no opportunity to respond to the allegations. "Die Beschuldigten hätten bislang keine Gelegenheit gehabt, sich zu den Vorwürfen zu äußern." The public prosecutor's office is thus following the usual procedural approach, according to which those affected are only formally questioned after the searches have been completed.

Presumption of Innocence and Ongoing Measures

The 2024 Men's European Football Championship was held in Germany, with matches taking place in ten different cities. The German Football Association was the host association and played the leading role in ticket allocation. Exactly how the preferential tickets now under scrutiny came to be obtained by employees of city administrations, and what role possible intermediaries played, is the subject of the ongoing investigations.

The corruption raid is part of a series of investigative proceedings surrounding major sporting events in Germany. In recent years, proceedings against officials, association employees, and public-sector employees have repeatedly come to light involving preferential treatment in connection with tickets, travel, or hospitality services. This time as well, the public prosecutor's office indicates that the circle of suspects could extend beyond those whose premises were directly searched.

Legal experts point out that accepting and granting benefits in the public sector can also be fulfilled even if no direct consideration flowed for a specific official act. According to case law, the mere acceptance of an advantage in an official context is decisive. The municipal umbrella associations have repeatedly pointed out in the past the particular sensitivity involved in handling tickets for major sporting events.

Should the suspicion be confirmed, the suspects face, in addition to criminal consequences, disciplinary measures up to removal from service. The Bochum public prosecutor's office announced that it would communicate the progress of the investigations at an appropriate time. Until then, the names of the suspects and the extent of the possible damage remain unknown.

UEFA itself was, according to the current status, not the subject of the searches. The European Football Association has in the past strictly positioned itself against any form of corruption in the context of its competitions and has introduced internal compliance structures. Whether the investigators will also issue information requests to the European association was initially unclear.