The FBI will work alongside FIFA in a bid to protect the upcoming World Cup in Qatar from potential match-fixing.
According to a FIFA announcement, federal investigators from the FBI joined a panel meeting alongside Interpol and gambling regulatory authorities to discuss the World Cup and any potential attempts by organized crime groups to rig matches. The panel meeting was ostensibly created to oversee the ‘timely handling of integrity matters’ relating to the tournament and match fixing was high on the agenda.
The news of the FBI’s involvement comes as no surprise given that seven years ago, federal investigators looked into alleged corruption in football’s world governing body. That investigation saw a raft of top-level officials including former FIFA president Sepp Blatter being banned from the sport for financial misconduct.
According to a FIFA statement:
FBI Joins FIFA Task Force to Tackle Potential Match-Fixing at Qatar World Cup FBI Joins FIFA Task Force to Tackle Potential Match-Fixing at Qatar World Cup“The FBI, as the principal law enforcement and investigative service of the United States, will be joining the group to contribute with its experience and expertise, also in preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2026.”
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