Our role in an international anti-match-fixing network
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
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The success of Operation Mursal exemplifies how UEFA work hand in hand with law enforcement and investigative agencies to combat the cross-border threat posed by organised crime’s involvement in match-fixing.
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Operation Mursal, a Spanish-led inquiry into match-fixing by organised crime groups, spanned three years and more than 50 countries before culminating in 2023 with over 70 arrests.
From a UEFA perspective, the investigation's closing chapter came towards of 2024 in Madrid. In a pivotal moment that marked strengthened collaboration in the fight against match manipulation, INTERPOL, Europol and Spain's law enforcement authorities shared vital intelligence from the investigation with our anti-match-fixing unit.
This unprecedented level of trust underlined our status as a central hub of pan-European efforts to protect football's integrity – the result of more than a decade of steadily expanding and deepening relationships with stakeholders across law enforcement, government and sport
"Operation Mursal would not have happened if there had not been complete trust between us and UEFA," said David Calvete Sarasa of the Spanish police force's sports integrity unit (CENPIDA). Since CENPIDA's creation in 2017, we have contributed expert knowledge and intelligence to support the unit's cases and regularly support their match-fixing investigation training sessions for Spanish police officers.
"Operation Mursal would not have happened if there had not been complete trust between us and UEFA."
Beyond borders
International coordination is crucial to combat the transnational nature of corruption in sport involving organised crime. Such cooperation allows jurisdiction to reach beyond national borders, opening the door for match-fixing activities to be sanctioned in both footballing and criminal capacities.
Over the last decade, continuous intelligence gathering, open-source monitoring and direct investigative experience have placed us at the forefront of detecting and combating emerging threats to the integrity of sport.
We process and analyse ever-increasing quantities of data that are then shared with national associations and law enforcement agencies and support numerous successful investigations across Europe, including complex cross-border cases.
Ever-closer cooperation
Adapting to new threats
Developing a robust network for information and knowledge exchange is equally essential – not least because criminals increasingly leverage sophisticated technology to gain inside information.
The organised crime group exposed by Operation Mursal had used large satellite dishes to receive direct signals from live matches. By accessing feed codes, they exploited the delay in live images reaching public screens to place bets ahead of the market.
"It's absolutely vital," added Francisco Portugal Meireles of INTERPOL's match-fixing task force, with which we have worked closely since its establishment in 2011. "Law enforcement agencies cannot tackle these criminals effectively on their own – sporting organisations bring deep knowledge of the game, its rules and its participants."
This article originally appeared in the UEFA Annual Report 2024/25.