The Fifa Global Integrity Programme aims to enhance education and integrity capabilities within all 211 Fifa member associations. Through the sharing of knowledge and resources with integrity officers, the initiative seeks to establish sustainable integrity and anti-corruption initiatives at a local level. This will be done by providing a three-module virtual workshop focused on integrity to each of its confederations. The programme plays a crucial role in educating and building capacity within member associations to combat match-fixing at the grassroots level.
Inadequacies in the integrity and credibility of football are a pressing concern in many countries worldwide due to the real threat of match-fixing. To address this issue, Fifa president Gianni Infantino stresses the importance of close collaboration with experts at the UNODC and other ongoing efforts. The Fifa Global Integrity Programme is a significant step taken by Fifa to safeguard the integrity of football by educating and empowering member associations.
Fifa is also launching an Integrity Officers Community Platform to support the programme. This community-driven online platform will connect integrity officers from all member associations and confederations globally. It aims to facilitate the exchange of experiences and best practices related to preventing and combatting match manipulation, as well as promoting integrity. The platform will be confidential and ensure a global network of integrity officers working together.
In December of last year, Fifa and the UNODC announced plans for a joint campaign encouraging the football industry to speak out against match-fixing. The campaign focuses on Fifa’s confidential reporting platforms, aiming to inspire players, coaches, and officials to recognize, resist, and report instances of match-fixing.