FIFA has finalized an arrangement that will allow some licensed sports betting operators to offer livestreams of FIFA World Cup games to account holders, deepening the organization’s commercial links with the gambling industry.
The football governing body has signed a new four-year agreement with Chicago-based data provider Stats Perform, granting exclusive betting rights to distribute official data and livestreams across a wide range of its football competitions. The deal, which runs through 2029 for most FIFA tournaments, includes the men’s World Cup scheduled to begin on June 11 in Mexico City.
Stats Perform will distribute official FIFA betting data to licensed sportsbooks for modeling, trading, settlement, and in-play front-end use. Its Opta brand, known for football statistics, will provide official player statistics, live scores, insights, and match trackers to clients in the gambling sector.
The deal also covers “thousands of matches per season across FIFA Member Association competitions powered by FIFA+,” according to FIFA. The organization did not disclose the financial terms of the agreement.
FIFA+ is the soccer body’s digital platform that features live games from select FIFA competitions and lower-tier leagues, along with World Cup highlight archives. The platform has recently partnered with Saudi Arabia-backed streaming network DAZN.
FIFA’s commercial engagement with the gambling industry continues. However, its code of ethics prohibits players, officials, and agents from being involved, directly or indirectly, in betting, gambling, lotteries, or similar activities related to football matches or competitions.
The organization previously had a regional sponsorship deal in Europe with a betting firm during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
This year’s men’s World Cup will feature 48 teams playing 104 matches across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, concluding on July 19.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/01/13/117094-fifa-signs-distribution-deal-for-exclusive-betting-rights-and-livestreams-through-2029
