African football is increasingly under pressure to enhance its response to match manipulation as disciplinary actions and concerns about organized crime networks expose vulnerabilities in its integrity systems.
Moses Swaibu, a former professional footballer and now the founder and CEO of sports integrity technology firm GC360, shared insights on the issue. "I speak from experience. I was a professional footballer who was recruited, and then I did the recruiting. I know how the grooming works because I did it," he stated. His work in promoting integrity has involved collaborations with major organizations such as FIFA, UEFA, the FA, the Premier League, and the PFA. Swaibu emphasized caution regarding the statistics on suspicious activities, stating, "Rising alert volumes do not automatically mean rising manipulation. They often mean monitoring is getting better." He added, "What we can say with confidence is that the infrastructure to detect manipulation is strengthening in Africa faster than the infrastructure to prevent it."
Swaibu pointed out that syndicates targeting African football are not just local opportunists. "They are international, sophisticated and they understand the market," he noted.
In Uganda, the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) provisionally suspended 13 individuals in June 2024 while investigating a suspected multi-match fixing scheme. This investigation, with assistance from FIFA, identified a syndicate based in South Africa that allegedly targeted referees, players, and administrators in connection with seven matches played between October and November 2023 in the men's second division and women's football leagues. FUFA legal manager Denis Lukambi reported that 99% of the fixing activity was linked to betting both domestically and internationally. Subsequently, FIFA extended worldwide sanctions against seven Ugandans previously sanctioned domestically: five players were banned for five years, while two referees faced ten-year bans.
In November 2024, FUFA's Ethics and Disciplinary Committee sanctioned another 12 individuals over a scheme linked to a foreign betting syndicate. One received a lifetime ban, with others receiving suspensions ranging from one to ten years. The crackdown on match manipulation continued into 2026, with four players and a club administrator found guilty of manipulating a Uganda Premier League match between Lugazi FC and Buhimba United Saints. Former player Feni Ali received a lifetime ban for acting as an intermediary between players and fixers.
Swaibu highlighted that financial vulnerability serves as a primary entry point for match fixers. "A player or a referee who cannot pay their rent is easier to recruit than one who wants a Ferrari," he explained. Drawing parallels with his experience in England, he noted that while the focus is often on top-tier leagues, most fixing occurs in lower divisions, women’s leagues, and youth competitions. He referenced Uganda’s case and mentioned Burundi, where six players and a director received five-year bans for accepting payments that were ten times their salary to underperform. "The president of Burundi’s competition committee, Yussuf Mossi, asked the obvious question: if you are receiving ten times your salary, how can you not take it?"
In Mali, the Malian Football Federation (FEMAFOOT) has referred a suspicious match from June 10 between Afrique Football Elite and AS Korofina to its Independent Ethics Commission, signaling concerns about the fixture's integrity. However, no allegations of match manipulation have been made against either club or individual.
Kenya is also seeking to strengthen its laws against match fixing. The Sports (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposed by Irene Mayaka, passed the National Assembly on August 19. This bill aims to amend the Sports Act of 2013 to include definitions of manipulation, such as offering undue advantages, conspiring to fix results, deliberately underperforming, and using insider information for betting. If enacted in its current form, it would impose fines of up to three times the value involved or ten million Kenyan shillings, alongside possible imprisonment for up to five years. Relevant sports organizations would retain disciplinary powers to impose suspensions or bans. The bill has also entrusted the Directorate of Criminal Investigations with investigating potential criminal liability in tandem with existing sports organization processes.
This proposed legislation follows a series of integrity issues in Kenyan football, highlighted by FIFA's report in May 2025 regarding Kenyan club Muhoroni Youth's involvement in match manipulation schemes. Swaibu confirmed that players in Kenya faced bans as part of an international conspiracy. Kenya’s Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis cautioned that fixing is embedded at various levels, from grassroots to professional football. Patrick Korir, chief executive of Nairobi City Stars, welcomed the reforms but expressed skepticism about whether legislation alone could eradicate match manipulation. "There are clubs that have actually shut down because of this vice. Nairobi City Stars is at the edge of whether to continue or stop playing because there’s no safe space for investment," he remarked. Swaibu also noted that Kenya Football Federation president Hussein Mohammed has moved to clear salary arrears for match officials to eliminate excuses related to remuneration. "That is prevention done properly," he asserted. "If you are not paying your referees, you are not protecting your competition."
The issues with match manipulation are not unique to African football, as cross-border betting networks and intermediaries present challenges for integrity organizations globally. Nevertheless, regional efforts show promise. Uganda is utilizing disciplinary procedures, Mali is proceeding through its independent ethics body, and Kenya is considering criminal sanctions alongside sporting penalties. Swaibu warned that manipulated matches impact more than just game results. "It erodes confidence in the entire market built around it. As African betting volumes grow, so does the need for protecting their integrity. He believes integrity should be embedded as a core element of licensing across the continent rather than treated as an optional addition.
"Africa is a priority market for us. The growth is real, the vulnerability is real, and the infrastructure that protects players is what is missing. That is the gap we exist to close," he concluded. In this landscape, suspicious betting can occur in moments, while disciplinary actions can take extended periods. The challenge for African sports governing bodies remains in keeping pace with this evolving issue.
