Rabat, Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco, January 2026. Algeria v DR Congo. The game was 0-0, when, at half-time, I received a tap on the shoulder from the row behind.
“Andy? You used to play football with my brother. I showed him a photo from my seat and he recognised you in my photo.”
The man was based in France and at the tournament to monitor any match-fixing. His life is spent investigating illegal betting patterns and bringing perpetrators to justice. He explained his job and the problem areas, the dodgy operators, criminality, links to organised crime, the scale of the problem, the monies involved and the problems around the globe.
