Germany's crisis over match-fixing allegations

German football chiefs were set to host an emergency meeting today after one of the country's most promising referees resigned over match-fixing allegations.

The corruption scandal threatened to overshadow today's high-profile announcement about ticket sales for next year's World Cup in the country.

Robert Hoyzer, 25, is suspected of betting on a first-round German Cup tie in August when first division Hamburg were dumped out of the competition by unglamorous Paderborn.

Hamburg took a 2-0 lead but went on to lose 4-2 after Hoyzer sent off their striker Emile Mpenza in the first half and awarded two penalties to the regional league side.

Hoyzer has denied the allegations but German Football Federation joint-president Theo Zwanziger said last night that there was also evidence of manipulation of other games involving the official, who quit on Friday.

The scandal could not have come at a worse time for the Germans. Today was supposed to mark the start of the build-up to the 2006 World Cup with organisers releasing details about how tickets will go on sale across the world on 1 February.