Ex-Police Chief Alleges Premier League Match-Fixing Scandal

Former Swedish crime unit chief Fredrik Gardare claims Premier League players were involved in match-fixing, based on evidence from a 2021 casino raid. A confiscated phone reportedly showed Telegram chats with criminals arranging fixes in European leagues and Nations League games. Gardare says police ignored it, while the English FA insists it never received the findings.

For the Premier League, fresh controversy has surfaced after Fredrik Gardare, former head of Sweden’s international crime investigation unit, alleged that several players were involved in match-fixing. Gardare revealed that during a 2021 casino raid, police confiscated multiple phones, one of which contained extensive Telegram messages linking players with a criminal syndicate.

These messages allegedly showed Premier League footballers fixing outcomes such as yellow cards, corners, and specific events in matches, not just in England but also across European leagues and even Nations League games. Gardare claimed his team treated the matter as a high-priority case, yet Swedish police closed the investigation by the end of 2021 and disbanded his unit. According to him, the evidence was also shared with Sweden’s football federation, but he was unsure if it ever reached the English FA.

The FA, meanwhile, stated it has not received these findings but is willing to examine them if handed over. The Swedish FA’s integrity officer, Johan Claesson, admitted intelligence was received in 2021 but argued it lacked specific details to pursue action. Gardare, however, maintained that the evidence was “the clearest case” of fixing he had encountered, warning that ignoring it risks ongoing corruption in English and international football.