Belgian police carried out a series of raids at soccer clubs and homes across the country yesterday and detained many people for questioning about financial fraud and possible match-fixing, Belgian prosecutors said. A total of 44 searches were carried out at top Belgian clubs and residences, federal prosecutors said in a statement.

At the same time, searches of 13 houses also took place in France, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia. Prosecutors did not name any clubs or people. Belgian broadcasters VRT and RTBF said searches had taken place at leading teams including Anderlecht, Club Bruges and Standard Liege.

Prosecutors said the searches were related to an investigation launched at the end of 2017 into suspect financial transactions in the top Belgian league, with possible charges of criminal organisation, money laundering and corruption. Some agents were suspected of hiding commissions on transfers, players' pay and other payments from the Belgian authorities, the prosecutors said.