Enlarge image
DFB flags in front of the Rhein-Energie Stadium in Cologne
Photo: Fabian Strauch / dpa
The Frankfurt am Main tax office has revoked the non-profit status of the German Football Association for the years 2014 and 2015 - the DFB is threatened with additional tax payments in the double-digit million range.
The association itself announced the expected step by the authority.
"As a precaution, the DFB had made provisions in its budget for the resulting additional demands from the tax authorities," said a press release.
"The DFB assesses the underlying facts differently than the tax authorities and will therefore file an objection against the decisions issued in a timely manner."
DFB is already suing against deprivation of non-profit status for 2006
The association is therefore accused of tax evasion by the tax authorities in connection with income from the perimeter advertising of the years in question.
DFB treasurer Stephan Grunwald had already said at the beginning of November that the non-profit status was threatened for the period in question.
Grunwald emphasized at the time that no incorrect information had been given in the tax returns at issue.
He spoke of 26 million euros in possible additional tax payments, but the DFB is not threatened with insolvency: the association has liquid funds in the three-digit million range.
Grunwald reported that the DFB had to set up reserves of more than 46 million euros due to other tax-related transactions.
Therefore, a minus in the double-digit million range is to be expected in the balance sheet for 2021.
The DFB is already taking legal action before the Hessian Finance Court in Kassel against the 2017 deprivation of non-profit status for 2006 and the resulting subsequent tax payment of around 22 million euros.
The association had been accused by the financial authorities of having wrongly claimed a payment of 6.7 million euros to the world association Fifa for the organization of a World Cup opening gala in 2005 as an operating expense.
czl/dpa