FIFA Opens Ethics Case Against German Soccer Officials Including Beckenbauer

Photo Among those being investigated by FIFA’s ethics committee are two former presidents of the German soccer federation, Wolfgang Niersbach, left, and Theo Zwanziger, right. Credit Alex Grimm/Bongarts, via Getty Images FIFA announced Tuesday that its ethics committee had opened formal proceedings against six high-ranking German soccer officials who led their country’s successful bid to host the 2006 World Cup.

The announcement comes less than three weeks after a team of legal advisers hired by the German soccer association, known as the D.F.B., released a report of its investigation into a suspicious payment linked to Germany’s successful bid. The report said it found no indication that…