Anti-Match-Fixing Action Plan – UEFA’s Recent Activities To Stay On Top Of The Game

In recent years, UEFA has recognised that the problem of match-fixing in football and sports more broadly, needed a stronger response, despite the efforts that have already been deployed in fighting this phenomenon. It has become clear that the capacity of UEFA and other sports bodies to combat match-fixing has not grown in line with the threat that match-fixing poses.

To stay at the at the front of the movement, the UEFA Executive Committee decided at its meeting in Ljubljana in September 2019 to commission an independent feasibility study to analyse options for improving football’s ability to prevent, investigate and prosecute match-fixing. These options included fostering enhanced international co-operation between football bodies, state authorities and other essential stakeholders.

Following the results that were delivered at the end of 2020, which recommended a reinforced focus on efforts to improve intelligence, investigation, and prevention – thereby maximising the impact of the campaign to fight match-fixing – the UEFA Executive Committee agreed in July 2021 to increase the resources that UEFA invests in this campaign, as well as to further develop UEFA’s internal unit of experts. A dedicated action plan (2021-24) was approved. The plan aims to translate the findings of the feasibility study into sustainable and cost-effective actions and initiatives to tackle match-fixing.

The strategy of the action plan focuses mainly on four key areas:

1. National association assistance;

2. Awareness raising & prevention;

3. Stakeholder engagement; and,

4. Monitoring & intelligence/investigation development.

This article aims not only to give further insights into UEFA’s implementation of the action plan since its approval in July 2021, but also to highlight the respective deliverables.