The German government sent a shipment of rocket-propelled grenades to Saudi Arabia in order to secure support for their bid to host the 2006 World Cup, according to the latest sensational claims in the FIFA scandal.

German newspaper Die Zeit say the country's Football Association arranged for then Chancellor Gerhard Schroder's administration to supply the arms in order to swing the Saudi vote from Morocco to Germany ahead of the vote in 2000.

It helped tip the knife-edge vote in Germany's favour as they defeated South Africa 12-11 in the final round and duly hosted the World Cup finals six years later.

German model Claudia Schiffer (left), former player Franz Beckenbauer (middle) and Chancellor Gerhard Schroder give the thumbs up after Germany is awarded the 2006 World Cup following the vote in 2000

Beckenbauer hands over the outline of Germany's 2006 World Cup bid to FIFA president Sepp Blatter

German newspaper Die Zeit claimed then Chancellor Schroder sent a shipment of rocket-propelled grenades to Saudi Arabia in an effort to secure their support in the vote for the 2006 World Cup hosts

The Olympiastadion in the German capital Berlin, where the 2006 World Cup final was staged

The shipment of RPGs was part of a concerted effort by German politicians and business leaders to persuade the members of FIFA's executive committee to vote for them, Die Zeit report.

German firms Volkswagen and Bayer promised higher investment in Thailand and South Korea, while Daimler invested 100m euros (£73m) in South Korean motor company Hyundai.

Meanwhile, a fresh letter has emerged implicating South Africa 2010 World Cup boss Danny Jordaan and the country's government in the $10m (£6.5m) payment that forms a central part of the FBI-led investigation into FIFA corruption launched last week.

The December 2007 letter, from Jordaan to FIFA general-secretary Jerome Valcke, supports the allegation that the South African government agreed to the payment which the US authorities allege was a bribe, disguised as a football legacy development grant, to CONCACAF chief Jack Warner and his deputy Chuck Blazer.

The letter names Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Jabu Moleketi, respectively foreign affairs minister and deputy finance minister in the government of then-president Thabo Mbeki.

South Africa 2010 bid leader Danny Jordaan pictured with Sepp Blatter in Johannesburg in 2011

A new letter supports the allegation that a $10m bribe was paid to North American FIFA vice-presidents Jack Warner and Chuck Blazer disguised as a legacy fund

Jack Warner, the former FIFA vice-president, is alleged to have received the $10m payment for his support

The $10m payment was allegedly used to secure support on the FIFA executive committee for South Africa's bid to host the 2010 World Cup.

The letter, published by the Mail and Guardian newspaper in South Africa, is entitled: 'US$10.0M promised by the South African government for the diaspora legacy programmes.'

Jordaan then writes to Valcke: 'The South African Government has undertaken to pay an amount equivalent to US$10.0m towards the 2010 FIFA World Cup Diaspora Legacy Programme.

'The Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Jabu Moleketi, has recommended that this money be paid over to FIFA.

'I have subsequently had a discussion with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, who has said that the funds should rather be paid over to the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa.'

The letter continues: 'In view of this determination, I want to suggest that FIFA deducts this amount (US$10.0m) from the LOC's future operational budget and deals directly with the Diaspora legacy support programme.'

FIFA president Sepp Blatter resigned on Tuesday just days after winning a fifth term

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke initially denied all knowledge of the South Africa payment

But this letter from 2008, released by the South African FA, blew Valcke's claims out of the water

Valcke denied signing off the $10m payment when allegations first arose last week but a letter released by the South African FA from March 2008 blew apart these claims.

The letter, from South African FA president Molefi Oliphant, was addressed to Valcke and asks for the payment to be withheld from World Cup funds and paid instead to Warner, ostensibly to support the development of football in the Caribbean.

Following the launch of investigations into FIFA corruption in both the United States and Switzerland, president Sepp Blatter stepped down on Tuesday just days after winning a fifth term in football's highest office.

It followed the indictment of 14 people, including Warner and eight other FIFA officials, by authorities in the United States over endemic racketeering, bribery and money laundering going back years.

The separate Swiss probe will look into the award of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar back in 2010.

Blatter, who remains in office until an election can be held, has confirmed he will not attend next week's International Olympic Committee meeting in Lausanne.