Overview

• The prosecution accuses the German Football Association of evading €2.7 million in taxes by misclassifying a €6.7 million payment to FIFA during its successful 2006 World Cup bid.
• Prosecutors argue the funds were a bribe arranged by Franz Beckenbauer to secure a CHF 250 million FIFA grant, a transaction the court says was falsely recorded as a gala expense.
• Defense lawyers maintain the payment was a legitimate business expense and point to former tax auditor Josef Heithausen’s testimony that no taxes were unlawfully avoided.
• Charges against ex-DFB officials Theo Zwanziger, Wolfgang Niersbach and Horst R. Schmidt were dropped after they paid fines, leaving only the association itself on trial.
• A verdict is due on June 25, capping 32 days of hearings and potentially triggering substantial fines or a review of the DFB’s tax-exempt status.