FIFA has struck a landmark commercial agreement with sports data specialist Stats Perform, appointing the company as its first official distributor of betting data and live betting streams across major international competitions. The multi-year deal strengthens FIFA’s push to monetise its digital assets ahead of the expanded 2026 World Cup and deepens the governing body’s integration with the global betting ecosystem.

Exclusive data and live streams through 2029

Under the agreement, Stats Perform receives exclusive rights to collect and distribute official betting data and live video feeds from selected FIFA competitions until 2029. This includes flagship tournaments such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, and a wide range of youth, futsal and intercontinental events.

Stats Perform’s Opta division will handle official data collection, delivering real-time statistics to power in-play betting markets and digital fan tools. Distribution will be managed by the company’s RunningBall unit, supplying licensed sportsbooks with ultrafast data for pricing, settlement and live trading.

Betting integration across FIFA+ content

The deal also allows Stats Perform to distribute live match streams from FIFA competitions to licensed betting operators in selected territories, including content currently available on FIFA’s direct-to-consumer platform, FIFA+. These streams will be delivered via Stats Perform’s AI-enhanced Bet LiveStreams product.

In addition to commercial distribution, Stats Perform will support FIFA’s integrity operations, helping monitor betting activity linked to FIFA+ competitions and member association matches.

Strategic push ahead of World Cup 2026

FIFA’s decision reflects a broader strategy to diversify revenues and expand digital engagement as it prepares for the 2026 World Cup, which will feature an expanded 48-team format and be hosted primarily in the United States.

Demand from bookmakers for official, real-time data has grown rapidly, driven by in-play betting and prediction markets. By centralising data rights under a single partner, FIFA gains tighter control over distribution, integrity monitoring and commercial returns.

Commercial momentum despite industry scrutiny

While partnerships between major sports bodies and betting suppliers continue to attract debate, FIFA has increasingly embraced commercial innovation across digital platforms, gaming and content distribution. The Stats Perform agreement follows recent initiatives involving streaming, social media distribution and the revamp of FIFA+ in partnership with DAZN.

For sportsbooks, the deal positions Stats Perform as a key gateway to official World Cup data and live content, particularly valuable in regulated markets where official feeds are increasingly required.

Sources: FIFA, SportsPro