German FA fined in World Cup tax evasion case
At the centre of the case was a payment of 6.7 million euros to the organising committee for the tournament in Germany.
In its annual accounts, the DFB claimed the money was to cover the costs of a World Cup gala, but the event never took place.
According to the Frankfurt regional court, the funds were used by the late 2006 World Cup president and German footballing legend Franz Beckenbauer to bribe members of FIFA's finance committee.
DFB officials intended the payments to secure a €170-million grant from the global footballing body.
The money was paid by the organising committee via FIFA to Robert Louis-Dreyfus, the former CEO of German sportswear giant Adidas.
Louis-Dreyfus had allegedly already paid the same amount three years earlier to members of the finance committee headed by Qatari Mohamed bin Hammam.
DFB bosses had "handled undeclared payments and supported FIFA's corrupt system", Judge Eva-Marie Distler said.
Three DFB officials were directly implicated in the case but none remained in the dock at the end of the trial.
Proceedings against Horst Schmidt, and former DFB presidents Wolfgang Niersbach and Theo Zwanziger, were dropped after they paid fines ranging from €10,000 to €65,000.
Beckenbauer died last year before the trial began. - AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
US-Mexico Gold Cup final will see World Cup co-hosts vying for validation
HOUSTON: When the United States and Mexico clash in today's Gold Cup final at NRG Stadium in Houston, far more than regional bragging rights will be at stake — the 2026 World Cup co-hosts desperately need to prove they belong on soccer's biggest stage, with the tournament less than a year away. The CONCACAF championship clash comes at a crucial time, with both teams having bypassed the challenging World Cup qualifying rounds — as they are already guaranteed a place — that typically prepare teams for football's grandest event. The stakes feel particularly weighty following setbacks at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Mexico crashed out in the group stage, while the United States fell to the Netherlands in the round of 16. The historic rivalry between the two North American neighbours has become the defining narrative of the Gold Cup. Of their seven title clashes since its inception in 1991, Mexico has won five. "El Tri" will aim to extend their dominance and avenge their 1–0 extra-time loss to the US in the 2021 final. The US, meanwhile, are eager to lift the trophy after missing out on a place in the CONCACAF Nations League final following their semi-final defeat to Panama in March. Mexico's manager, Javier Aguirre, understands what a potential victory would mean for the team. "Securing the title would give us momentum and show that the work we've done hasn't been meaningless," he told reporters on Thursday. "We've been sharp in training, the group is committed, and there's a strong sense of unity — almost like a family." Reaching the final represents a notable improvement for the US team under Mauricio Pochettino, who took charge in September and has orchestrated an unexpected journey despite missing around a dozen regulars. "This roster deserve massive credit to have reached the final," the former Chelsea manager said after Wednesday's 2-1 semi-final victory against Guatemala. Key absentees include AC Milan's Christian Pulisic, who requested time off, while Juventus' Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, plus Borussia Dortmund's Gio Reyna, were prevented from participating because Fifa prioritised the overlapping Club World Cup. For Mexican-American forward Diego Luna, who scored both goals against Guatemala, the match will carry special significance. "Growing up seeing the USA-Mexico games, to be able to play in one would be unreal," Luna told Fox Sports on Thursday.
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Cancelled Cold war-era football tie finally completed after 65 years
LURGAN; A European football tie cancelled due to Cold War-era tensions was finally completed in Northern Ireland on Saturday, 65 years on from its original schedule in 1960. Glenavon FC hosted FC Erzgebirge Aue – known as Wismut Karl-Marx-Stadt during the communist era – in Lurgan, 25 miles (40 kilometres) west of Belfast. Over 1,000 away fans traveled from Germany to cheer on the visitors, who were East German champions in 1960. The original tie was scrapped after both teams – on opposite sides of the Iron Curtain that divided Europe after World War II – were denied entry visas during a period of heightened political tension. "Those were hard times, governments weren't talking, no-one was let in or out," John Duggan, 91, who played for Glenavon in 1960, told AFP in Lurgan before the game. Duggan was part of a powerful Glenavon side which was crowned 1959-60 Irish League champions, granting qualification for the European Cup. But despite Europe's governing body UEFA allowing the home and away legs to take place in neutral countries, Glenavon withdrew from the competition due to lack of funds. Saturday's unique match, organised as a pre-season friendly after fans from both teams got in touch to probe the idea of fulfilling the long-forgotten fixture, ended in a 2-0 win for the German side. The game followed a "first-leg" of the rematch last year in Aue - 185 miles (300 kilometres) south of Berlin - which was won 5-0 by the Germans. The completion of the tie was "a missing chapter for both club's histories, it's great to finally get it played," Adam Carson, lifelong Glenavon fan and the club's supporter liaison officer, told AFP. "Politics paused it, but football endured," said Carson, who originally hatched the idea. When Glenavon qualified for European competition in 2014 Carson noticed that there was a European Cup game in 1960 that was never played and "put a couple of tweets" about it, he said. The idea was that "wouldn't it be great to go across to Germany and actually play this game 60 years later," he said. Carson's messages on social media were spotted by counterparts at the German side - who currently play in the third division of the Bundesliga - and a bond between the two clubs was forged. FC Erzgebirge Aue fan and its volunteer press official Max Richter, who first contacted Carson about a link-up, said that "today we close this little gap in our history and play this game which never happened. "The years when we were champions were in the 1950s and '60s, our club was big then, for all our fans that love the history of our club it was very important to be here," he told AFP. Robert Turkington, a Glenavon fan who was born in 1948 and has followed them since the 1950s "when we were a great side", remembers the original game's cancellation. "I was only a kid but I remember people were disappointed, today is just brilliant to see," he told AFP with a beaming smile. Glenavon fan Gareth Bridges, who went to the first leg in Germany, said that "a real camaraderie has developed between both sets of supporters. "Hopefully it is something that can develop between the two clubs into the future as well," the 39-year-old told AFP. - AFP
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Soccer-Gold Cup final a vital stress test for US World Cup preparations, says Pochettino
Jul 5, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; United States of America head coach Mauricio Pochettino talks at a press conference at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images (Reuters) -United States manager Mauricio Pochettino is eager to see how his side fare against Mexico in Sunday's Gold Cup final, saying it may well be the team's final chance to compete under real pressure before next year's FIFA World Cup. Both teams have bypassed the challenging World Cup qualifying rounds that typically help prepare teams for football's grandest event and are already guaranteed a place as hosts. After the final, the U.S. will next host South Korea and Japan in a pair of international friendly matches in September. "It's good for us. It's good because I think it's going to be maybe the last game that we are going to play under pressure, and to play under pressure is what we need, the team need," Pochettino told reporters on Saturday. "Because we are qualified for the World Cup and I think all the games that we are going to play after are friendly games. Those are unofficial games and I think it's important that we have, not a difficult scenario, but feel the pressure, feel the stress. "Because the World Cup is going to be about feeling the pressure and to feel the stress. It's great to have this opportunity." The Gold Cup final will be played at the NRG Stadium in Houston, just a few hours' drive away from central Texas where at least 43 people, including 15 children, have been confirmed dead following flash floods. Pochettino began his press conference by paying tribute to the victims, adding: "First of all I want to send our thoughts to the people in Texas, the tragic situation and for sure the people that were affected. "Our thoughts with all the people there. Our solidarity with all the families that were affected for the flood." (Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)
