Germany's FA headquarters have been raided in relation to an investigation into bribery during Euro 2024, with two individuals subject to scrutiny by police

The German Football Association (DFB) headquarters were raided on Wednesday as 150 investigators searched the premises amid a bribery investigation. The bombshell news follows the nation's World Cup exit to Paraguay on Monday.

According to German publication Bild, the raid is to gather information for investigations into a 66-year-old German and a 46-year-old Frenchman over concerns about hotel invitations and thousands of tickets which may have been illegally distributed before Germany hosted Euro 2024. There is said to be a suspicion of 'structured preferential treatment' and bribery after tickets were distributed internally to 'favoured guests'.

The DFB headquarters in Frankfurt am Main were the base for the company Euro 2024 GmbH, which was set up for the tournament. A company in Bavaria was also raided, while the city administrations of Gelsenkirchen, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart, and Munich are also being searched by the investigative commission.

North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul told BILD: "A football ticket is not part of a salary. 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."

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The Frenchman under investigation is said to have been responsible for the relations with host cities. It is alleged that he invited the heads of Euro 2024 offices to the top matches. This appears to have included the semi-final match between Spain and France in Munich for the German man under investigation.

With travel and hotel expenses, he is said to have received a financial package of around €2,400 (£2,065). The man is no longer employed by the city's administration and has reportedly come to the attention of the police on suspicion of fraud and embezzlement.

His house is among the locations to be searched on Wednesday. Bild reports that the Frenchman has no prior police record against him.

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On the pitch, the DFB will be forced into scrutinising their World Cup performance after their shock exit at the hands of Paraguay. Die Mannschaft lost on penalties to the South American nation, while speculation over Julian Nagelsmann's position had already been intense, with Jurgen Klopp rumoured to be a candidate for the role.

Nagelsmann is under contract until after the European Championship in 2028. The former Bayern Munich boss is happy to stick around until he is told otherwise.

He said: "I am available. If the DFB [German FA] wants it, then I will do the Euro 2028, and if not then they have to tell me. I'm not someone who runs away."

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