German authorities are searching the premises of the country's soccer federation over allegations of tax evasion linked to the 2006 Fifa World Cup.

Frankfurt prosecutor Nadja Niesen said the raids at the federation's headquarters and at two private premises were ongoing.

The homes of DFB President Wolfgang Niersbach and his predecessor, Theo Zwanziger, were also being searched, according to German newspaper Bild.

He said "the raids are linked to the awarding of the football World Cup 2006 and the transfer of 6.7 million euros to Fifa".

German daily Bild has published photos it says show the raid, and German news agency dpa reported that 50 officers and tax inspectors took part in the operation.

It follows allegations that a secret €6.7m (£4.9m) fund was set up to secure votes for Germany to host the 2006 World Cup.

Niersbach has insisted previously that the committee behind the 2006 bid had acted both “fairly” and “legally”.

“We secured the World Cup through fair means,” he said. “The World Cup was not bought. What was a summer fairytale remains a summer fairytale.”

Niersbach had been responding to allegations published in Der Spiegel that Germany’s World Cup bidding committee had established a slush fund in order to secure votes.

“The awarding of the 2006 World Cup was completely legal. There were no slush funds, and no vote buying,” Niersbach said.