An international friendly football match between Germany and the Netherlands in Hannover was cancelled at short notice while security fears also led to the evacuation of a second venue where a music event was set to take place.

Concertgoers had been waiting for the band Soehne Mannheims to play.

Hannover's chief of police said authorities received a warning about a possible bomb threat shortly before the match between Germany and the Netherlands in the main Hannover stadium. The stadium was evacuated and the game was cancelled.

Police chief Volker Kluwe told German public broadcaster NDR that the alleged threat involved the "detonation of explosives in the stadium".

He said the "key warning reached us about 15 minutes before the gates opened".

However, according to reports by Agence France-Presse, the German interior minister says that no explosives were found within the stadium. 

Germany's national football squad was taken to a "safe place" by police.

Germany had provided the opposition for France in Friday's game which was attacked by terrorists in Paris.

Mr Kluwe encouraged people in Hannover to go home, stay away from stadiums and not move about in large groups.

Chancellor Angela Merkel had been expected to attend the game.

Germany's interior minister was holding a news conference later Tuesday on the twin evacuations.