Thursday, August 28, 2025 - A senior Swedish police officer has claimed that Premier League footballers were involved in match-fixing schemes uncovered during an investigation into illegal betting.
Fredrik Gardare, who previously led an 18-month probe that
exposed former Manchester City midfielder Dickson Etuhu for bribery in Sweden,
said evidence linking several Premier League players to betting manipulation
was found during a 2021 casino raid. Phones seized in the operation allegedly
contained extensive messages on Telegram showing players fixing matches across
European leagues and even international games.
Gardare, speaking to the Daily Mail, said: “There was more
than one Premier League player (involved). Betting on yellow cards, corners and
other aspects in matches. I have worked on hundreds of match-fixing cases, and
this was the clearest case you could have. It doesn’t get any clearer than
being found on a confiscated mobile phone.”
Despite the claims, Swedish police did not pursue the probe
further, and the unit responsible was later disbanded. Gardare insisted that
the seized phones, which he described as crucial evidence, remain in police
custody.
The Swedish FA confirmed it received general intelligence
about match-fixing following the raid but said the information lacked specifics
because of the secrecy surrounding the case. As a result, no formal action was
taken.
The Premier League told The Sun it was not aware of the
allegations, adding that issues of this nature fall under the regulatory remit
of the Football Association. The FA, however, has reportedly not been briefed
on the findings by Swedish authorities.
The revelations raise fresh concerns about the influence of
illegal betting syndicates in top-flight football. Last year, whistleblower
Moses Swaibu, a former player jailed for conspiracy to commit bribery, warned
that at least five Premier League stars had been approached by match-fixers
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