Brazil’s long-standing reputation as a hotbed for football match-fixing appears to be shifting. The latest annual integrity report by Sportradar highlights a sharp decline in suspicious football matches within the country, marking significant progress in tackling a lingering issue.
Match-Fixing Incidents Drop by Nearly Half
The Sportradar Integrity in Action 2024 report revealed that Brazil recorded only 57 suspicious football matches last year, compared to 109 in 2023. This marks a 48% drop and sees Brazil relinquish its position as the global leader in match-fixing cases.
To put these numbers into context, just 0.18% of matches overseen by the Brazil Football Confederation (CBF) were flagged as suspicious. This is a stark improvement compared to 2023, where 15 suspicious games were detected in CBF competitions. Such progress underscores ongoing efforts to clean up the sport’s integrity in a nation where football is more than a pastime—it’s a cultural cornerstone.
The Context: Match-Fixing Clouds in 2024
Brazil’s efforts to clean up its act come against a backdrop of serious allegations and investigations. In 2024, football faced a storm of accusations after John Textor, owner of Botafogo, accused São Paulo players of game manipulation. The controversy prompted federal police involvement and led to the establishment of a parliamentary inquiry commission (CPI).
While the scandal cast a shadow over Brazil’s football and betting industries, the subsequent investigations appear to have driven positive change. Sportradar, a major player in integrity monitoring, worked closely with authorities to address the issue.
In an interview last year, Sportradar’s Brazil manager, Felippe Marchetti, highlighted that the number of suspicious matches dropped by 60% in the first half of 2024 alone. He attributed the improvement to increased transparency and growing awareness, which have made Brazil a less attractive target for match-fixers.
Global Match-Fixing Landscape: A Mixed Bag
Brazil’s progress contrasts with broader trends in South America, where 245 suspicious matches were detected across all sports—27 more than in 2023. However, the region remains less affected than Europe and Asia, which reported 439 and 310 suspicious matches, respectively.
Europe, long seen as the epicentre of match-fixing, showed some improvement, with 229 fewer suspicious matches detected compared to 2023. Yet, it remains the most impacted region globally.
Across all regions, Sportradar noted a 17% decline in suspicious matches. Football remains the most affected sport, accounting for 721 of the 1,108 flagged games. Basketball, tennis, and table tennis followed in the rankings.
| Sport | Suspicious Matches (2024) | Year-on-Year Change |
|---|---|---|
| Football | 721 | -160 |
| Basketball | 187 | +7 |
| Tennis | 69 | -4 |
| Table Tennis | 41 | +1 |
Sportradar’s Integrity Exchange Grows Stronger
A cornerstone of the fight against match-fixing is the Sportradar Integrity Exchange (SIE), launched in 2022. This platform empowers betting operators to share data and contribute to integrity investigations.
In 2024, the SIE recorded an 88% surge in suspicious match reports, flagging 843 games. Contributions from 117 member operators, up 52% from 2023, were instrumental in detecting manipulation.
Among the most notable cases was the five-year ban handed to English snooker player Mark King. The case, flagged by Sportradar, led to a fine of over £68,000 and underscored the platform’s effectiveness.
The Road Ahead for Football Integrity
While the drop in suspicious matches is a welcome development, industry experts caution against complacency. Sportradar’s executive vice president Andreas Krannich stressed the need for ongoing vigilance and innovation to tackle match-fixing.
For Brazil, the next milestone is the regulation of its sports betting market, set for January 2025. Experts believe a regulated framework, combined with technological solutions like Sportradar’s, will bolster the fight against corruption. As politicians and industry stakeholders rally around the issue, Brazil’s football scene may finally shed its reputation as a hotspot for match-fixing.
