Sportradar, the sports technology company, will continue to provide match-fixing detection and related services to world soccer governing body FIFA for another five years after securing an extension to its agreement.
The renewal, which runs through 2031, will see Sportradar provide FIFA and its 211 member associations with its AI-driven bet-monitoring services, as well as expanded intelligence and investigation support and dedicated risk assessment services.
FIFA said the additions will further strengthen its ability to “identify, assess, and respond to integrity risks across a broad and evolving global betting and competition landscape.”
The renewed agreement covers men’s and women’s FIFA international competitions, men’s and women’s confederation-run international and international club competitions, senior men’s and women’s domestic matches from the top two tiers, and the main national cup competitions across all member associations.
The extension builds on the pair’s original agreement in 2017, which saw Sportradar provide a variety of fraud-prevention services to FIFA for its major events and confederation-organized competitions.
Since then, Sportradar said it has monitored more than 600,000 matches globally on behalf of FIFA through its Universal Fraud Detection Service.
Before Sportradar, FIFA used its in-house Early Warning System but decided to outsource the work after Ralf Mutschke, the governing body’s head of security and former Interpol director, who oversaw its fight against match-fixing, left at the end of 2016.
Andreas Krannich, Sportradar’s executive vice president of Integrity Services, said: “The expansion … underlines both organizations' commitment to fair and clean sport at all levels globally.
“Our integrity services are designed to address risk in a joined-up way, combining bet monitoring through our AI-powered Universal Fraud Detection System (UFDS AI) — built in-house using more than 20 years of historical data — with rapid reporting from betting operators, alongside comprehensive education and prevention programs delivered to sports organizations worldwide.”
The deal comes as FIFA prepares to stage the men’s 2026 World Cup across the US, Mexico, and Canada later this year, from June 11 to July 19, amid growing global tensions.
Yesterday, Iranian soccer federation president Mehdi Taj cast doubt over the country’s participation in the flagship tournament following military strikes on the country by the US and Israel.
US and Israeli strikes on Iran took place over the weekend and led to the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran has been drawn in Group G at the men's World Cup and is scheduled to play all three group games in the US - in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21 before finishing the first round against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
