Former DFB President Testifies in Ongoing 2006 World Cup Corruption Trial

Fritz Keller's court testimony sheds limited light on allegations of bribery and financial irregularities surrounding Germany's hosting of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Ex-DFB President Fritz Keller testified in Frankfurt's 'Sommermärchen' trial, addressing allegations of vote-buying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
Keller confirmed statements suggesting funds may have been used for bribery but admitted the evidence remains inconclusive and legally weak.
The trial centers on a €6.7 million payment tied to FIFA and former Adidas CEO Robert Louis-Dreyfus, with unclear financial pathways leading to Mohamed Bin Hammam, a known corrupt FIFA official.
The court criticized the DFB's investigative efforts, calling them costly and insufficient, with much of the work allegedly duplicating previous investigations.
Of the original defendants, only Theo Zwanziger remains on trial, as cases against Horst R. Schmidt and Wolfgang Niersbach were dropped for health and settlement reasons, respectively.