Posts
The Stats Perform Mystery
Undisclosed Payments and Private Equity
FIFA: Swiss Non-Profit, Global Crime — Post 2 | February 6, 2026
Post 1: The $11 Billion Question — Where FIFA's money goes
Post 2: The Stats Perform Mystery ← YOU ARE HERE — Undisclosed payments, Vista Equity
Post 3: The Saudi Web — PIF, DAZN, circular money flows
Post 4: The New Corruption — Post-2015 model
Post 5: The Player Extraction — 3% compensation
Post 6: The Dealmaker — Romy Gai and AWE
Post 7: The Global Pattern — NFL to FIFA
The Deal: Exclusive Betting Data Through 2029
The Stats Perform deal gives the company exclusive rights to collect and distribute FIFA match data to licensed sportsbooks. This includes:
Data covered:
- RunningBall: "Ultrafast" real-time match events for betting (goals, cards, corners, possession, shots)
- Opta: Player statistics, live scores, performance tracking
- Bet LiveStreams: Live video feeds for in-play betting in select territories
Competitions covered:
- 2026 FIFA World Cup (104 matches, 48 teams)
- 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup
- FIFA Futsal World Cup
- FIFA Youth World Cups (U-20, U-17)
- Intercontinental Cup
- Thousands of member association matches on FIFA+
What sportsbooks get:
- Real-time data feeds for in-play betting
- Player performance metrics for prop bets
- Live video streams (where licensed)
- Historical data for odds modeling
This is the same model the NFL uses with Genius Sports: exclusive data rights that enable sportsbooks to create high-margin bets like Same Game Parlays and in-play betting markets.
But there's a critical difference: FIFA won't disclose what Stats Perform is paying for this exclusivity.
ANNOUNCED: January 12, 2026
DURATION: Through 2029 (multi-year exclusive agreement)
SCOPE: FIFA’s “first-ever official betting data and streaming rights distributor”
DATA INCLUDED:
• RunningBall: Real-time match events (ultrafast for betting/trading/settlement)
• Opta: Player stats, live scores, performance trackers
• Bet LiveStreams: Live video for in-play betting (select territories)
COMPETITIONS COVERED:
• 2026 World Cup: 104 matches, 48 teams
• 2027 Women’s World Cup
• Futsal, Youth WCs, Intercontinental Cup
• Thousands of FIFA+ member association matches
WHAT SPORTSBOOKS PAY STATS PERFORM:
• Subscription/pay-per-use models
• Fees vary by data depth, speed, competitions
• Enables in-play betting, longer betting windows, fewer suspensions
WHAT FIFA GETS PAID:
UNDISCLOSED.
FIFA is a Swiss non-profit required to publish financial statements. But the
Stats Perform payment isn’t broken out separately in FIFA’s filings. It’s buried
in aggregate revenue categories. Why hide it?
The Undisclosed Payment
FIFA's press releases call this a "partnership." But it's a licensing deal: Stats Perform pays FIFA for exclusive rights to distribute match data to sportsbooks.
How much?
FIFA won't say.
From the press release: "This innovative partnership will create great opportunities to deliver official products for the benefit of the game and its fans."
No dollar amount. No revenue share percentage. No payment structure disclosed.
Compare this to the NFL-Genius Sports deal:
- Genius Sports pays the NFL approximately $20 million per year in direct licensing fees (disclosed in earnings calls and industry reports)
- The NFL also owns 8-10% equity in Genius Sports (disclosed in SPAC filings)
- Total NFL compensation from Genius: transparent (relatively — it's findable in public filings)
FIFA's deal with Stats Perform:
- Stats Perform pays FIFA undisclosed amount
- No equity relationship disclosed
- Total FIFA compensation: unknown
Why does this matter?
Because FIFA is giving away a data monopoly — exclusive rights to distribute World Cup betting data through 2029 — for a payment amount the public can't verify.
Is FIFA getting fair market value? Is the deal structured to benefit FIFA — or to benefit someone else? We can't know because FIFA won't disclose it.
This opacity isn't accidental. It's structural.
NFL-GENIUS SPORTS (FOR COMPARISON):
• Genius pays NFL: ~$20M/year (disclosed in earnings calls/reports)
• NFL owns: 8-10% Genius equity (disclosed in SPAC filings)
• Transparency: Findable in public documents
FIFA-STATS PERFORM:
• Stats Perform pays FIFA: UNDISCLOSED
• FIFA equity in Stats Perform: None disclosed
• Transparency: Zero
WHY THIS IS WORSE THAN THE NFL MODEL:
• NFL at least disclosed it owns Genius equity (buried in SPAC filings, but findable)
• FIFA won’t disclose Stats Perform payment at all
• Lack of transparency suggests deal ISN’T structured to maximize FIFA revenue
• If the payment were fair, why hide it?
QUESTIONS THE OPACITY RAISES:
1. Is FIFA being paid fair market value for exclusive data rights?
1. Or is FIFA undercharging in exchange for side benefits?
1. Who at FIFA negotiated this deal?
1. Did they have conflicts of interest?
1. Will they leave for Vista Equity, Stats Perform, or related companies?
The opacity IS the corruption. When a Swiss non-profit hides payment amounts
for exclusive commercial deals, that’s a red flag.
Who Owns Stats Perform? Vista Equity Partners
Stats Perform isn't an independent sports data company. It's owned by Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm specializing in software and data businesses.
Vista bought Stats Perform from DAZN Group in 2019 for approximately $400 million.
Here's the ownership chain:
2019: Vista Equity Partners buys Stats Perform from DAZN for ~$400M
2026: FIFA gives Stats Perform exclusive betting data rights (payment undisclosed)
Who benefits?
- Vista Equity Partners: Owns Stats Perform, will profit when Stats Perform sells FIFA data to sportsbooks
- Stats Perform: Gets exclusive rights, eliminating competition (monopoly pricing power)
- Sportsbooks: Get official FIFA data (required in some jurisdictions for in-play betting)
Who loses?
- FIFA: Gives away data monopoly for undisclosed (potentially undervalued) payment
- Players: Generate the data (match events, player performance), receive nothing
- Consumers (bettors): Pay higher costs because monopoly data deals inflate sportsbook expenses (passed to bettors via worse odds)
Vista Equity Partners is a $100+ billion private equity firm. It owns dozens of software and data companies. Stats Perform is just one portfolio company.
The FIFA deal makes Stats Perform more valuable:
- Exclusive rights = monopoly = higher prices for sportsbooks
- Higher prices = higher Stats Perform revenue
- Higher revenue = higher valuation
- Higher valuation = Vista Equity profits when it eventually sells Stats Perform
So Vista Equity has a direct financial interest in FIFA giving Stats Perform exclusive data rights. And FIFA's Chief Business Officer — the person who negotiated this deal — came from a consulting firm with opaque client lists and Saudi operations.
The connections aren't direct. But the structure creates incentives for deals that benefit private equity at FIFA's expense.
WHO IS VISTA EQUITY:
• Private equity firm, $100+ billion in assets
• Specializes in software/data businesses
• Portfolio: Dozens of companies, including Stats Perform
STATS PERFORM OWNERSHIP TIMELINE:
• Pre-2019: Stats Perform owned by DAZN Group
• 2019: Vista Equity buys Stats Perform from DAZN for ~$400M
• 2026: FIFA gives Stats Perform exclusive betting data rights (payment undisclosed)
HOW VISTA PROFITS:
1. FIFA gives Stats Perform exclusive data rights
1. Exclusivity = monopoly = no competition
1. Stats Perform charges sportsbooks premium prices (monopoly pricing)
1. Higher prices = higher Stats Perform revenue
1. Higher revenue = higher Stats Perform valuation
1. Vista eventually sells Stats Perform at profit
WHO BENEFITS:
• Vista Equity Partners (portfolio company becomes more valuable)
• Stats Perform (monopoly pricing power)
• Sportsbooks (get required official data, pass costs to bettors)
WHO LOSES:
• FIFA (gives away data monopoly for undisclosed payment)
• Players (generate the data, get nothing)
• Bettors (pay higher costs via worse odds)
THE QUESTION:
Did FIFA negotiate this deal to maximize FIFA revenue — or to benefit Vista
Equity and its portfolio company? Without transparency on payment amount, we
can’t know.
The DAZN Connection: Saudi Money in the Background
Vista Equity Partners bought Stats Perform from DAZN Group in 2019. But DAZN is still relevant to this story because of who backs it now.
In 2024, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) bought a $1 billion stake in DAZN.
This happened shortly after FIFA sold Club World Cup media rights to DAZN for approximately $1 billion.
The timeline:
FIFA → DAZN → PIF
- FIFA sells Club World Cup rights to DAZN (~$1B deal)
- Saudi PIF buys $1B stake in DAZN
- FIFA awards 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia (announced Dec 2024)
DAZN no longer owns Stats Perform (Vista Equity bought it in 2019). But the corporate relationships create a web:
- FIFA gives exclusive betting data to Stats Perform (owned by Vista, formerly owned by DAZN)
- FIFA sells media rights to DAZN (now PIF-backed)
- FIFA awards 2034 World Cup to Saudi (PIF-financed)
- FIFA gets sponsored by Aramco (Saudi state oil company, $100M/year)
These aren't smoking gun connections. They're structural relationships that create financial incentives:
Saudi wants sportswashing (2034 World Cup legitimizes the regime). PIF invests in DAZN. DAZN buys FIFA rights. FIFA awards hosting to Saudi. Vista Equity (which bought Stats Perform from DAZN) gets exclusive FIFA betting data.
The money flows in circles. And at every step, FIFA gives away long-term value (exclusive data rights, hosting awards, media deals) for short-term cash.
Who profits? Private equity firms (Vista). Sovereign wealth funds (PIF). FIFA executives (who may or may not have future private sector opportunities).
Who loses? Players. Fans. Anyone who cares about transparency in global sports governance.
THE CONNECTIONS:
• Stats Perform owned by Vista Equity (bought from DAZN 2019)
• DAZN backed by Saudi PIF ($1B stake, 2024)
• FIFA sells Club World Cup rights to DAZN (~$1B)
• FIFA awards 2034 World Cup to Saudi (Dec 2024)
• FIFA sponsored by Aramco (Saudi, $100M/year)
• FIFA gives exclusive betting data to Stats Perform (Vista-owned, formerly DAZN)
THE PATTERN:
Saudi wants: Sportswashing (2034 WC legitimizes regime)
PIF invests: $1B in DAZN (FIFA media partner)
DAZN buys: FIFA Club WC rights (~$1B)
FIFA awards: 2034 hosting to Saudi
Vista Equity: Gets exclusive FIFA betting data (Stats Perform)
MONEY FLOWS IN CIRCLES:
FIFA → Saudi (hosting rights)
Saudi → FIFA (Aramco sponsorship $100M/year)
FIFA → DAZN (media rights ~$1B)
PIF → DAZN ($1B stake)
FIFA → Stats Perform (exclusive data, payment undisclosed)
Vista → Stats Perform (ownership since 2019)
WHO PROFITS:
• Saudi (sportswashing)
• PIF (DAZN investment returns)
• Vista Equity (Stats Perform monopoly)
• FIFA executives (potentially — via future private sector roles)
WHO LOSES:
• Players (generate data/content, get 3%)
• Fans (normalized gambling, inflated costs)
• Transparency (circular money flows hidden in corporate structures)
The Dealmaker: Romy Gai and AWE International
The Stats Perform deal was negotiated by Romy Gai, FIFA's Chief Business Officer since April 2022.
Gai is quoted in every press release about the partnership: "We are delighted to partner with Stats Perform, a global leader in sports data."
Before joining FIFA, Gai ran AWE International Group, a sports consulting and events firm he chaired from 2015 to 2022.
AWE's client list is not public. The firm describes itself as serving "major brands" in fan engagement, strategic consulting, and event organization — but doesn't name clients.
This opacity matters because:
1. Did AWE consult for Stats Perform, Vista Equity, or DAZN before Gai joined FIFA?
If AWE had prior business relationships with companies that later received FIFA deals, that's a conflict — even if legal. Prior relationships influence deal terms.
We can't prove this because AWE won't disclose its client list. But the lack of transparency makes it impossible to rule out.
2. AWE had offices in Saudi Arabia (reported in 2018).
Gai's consulting firm operated in Saudi. He previously worked as CEO of the UAE Pro League (United Arab Emirates, ~2011-2015). He has Gulf region business relationships.
Then he joins FIFA (2022) and FIFA:
- Awards 2034 World Cup to Saudi (Dec 2024)
- Signs Aramco sponsorship (Saudi, $100M/year through 2027)
- Partners with PIF-backed DAZN
- Gives exclusive betting data to Stats Perform (Vista-owned, formerly DAZN)
We can't prove Gai orchestrated these deals based on Saudi relationships. But we can prove he had prior Saudi business connections through AWE, then negotiated FIFA deals that benefit Saudi interests.
3. Will Gai leave FIFA for Vista Equity, Stats Perform, DAZN, or a PIF-backed company?
He's still at FIFA as of February 2026. The Stats Perform deal was announced January 2026 — one month ago.
In the NFL, Kevin LaForce negotiated the Genius Sports deal (April 2021) while running 32 Equity (which owned Genius equity). LaForce left the NFL two months later (June 2021) for RedBird Capital. RedBird then partnered with the NFL on EverPass Media (May 2023).
The pattern: negotiate deal, leave shortly after, join beneficiary or related firm.
If Gai leaves FIFA in the next 12-24 months for a Stats Perform-related company, Vista Equity, DAZN, or a PIF-backed entity, that's the smoking gun.
But even without a revolving door departure, the opacity is the story. FIFA's Chief Business Officer came from an opaque consulting firm, negotiated a deal with undisclosed payment, and won't tell us if he had prior relationships with the beneficiaries.
WHO IS ROMY GAI:
• FIFA Chief Business Officer (since April 2022)
• Negotiated Stats Perform deal (announced Jan 12, 2026)
• Quoted in all press releases about the partnership
PRIOR BACKGROUND:
• Chairman of AWE International Group (2015-2022)
• AWE: Sports consulting/events firm
• AWE client list: NOT PUBLIC
• AWE offices: London, Italy, Monaco, Portugal, Saudi Arabia (reported 2018)
• Prior to AWE: CEO of UAE Pro League (~2011-2015)
• Also: CCO at Juventus FC (14 years)
THE CONFLICTS WE CAN’T RULE OUT:
1. Did AWE consult for Stats Perform, Vista Equity, or DAZN?
• AWE won’t disclose client list
• If AWE had prior business with companies that got FIFA deals, that’s a conflict
• Lack of transparency makes it impossible to verify or rule out
1. Saudi connections:
• AWE had Saudi office (2018)
• Gai ran UAE Pro League (Gulf region expertise)
• Then FIFA awards 2034 WC to Saudi, signs Aramco, partners with PIF-backed DAZN
• Not proof of corruption, but structural conflict
1. Will Gai leave for Vista/Stats Perform/DAZN/PIF?
• Still at FIFA as of Feb 2026
• Stats Perform deal announced Jan 2026 (1 month ago)
• If he leaves in next 12-24 months for beneficiary, that’s the smoking gun
• NFL’s LaForce negotiated Genius deal (April 2021) → left 2 months later (June 2021)
THE OPACITY IS THE STORY:
Gai ran opaque firm → joined FIFA → negotiated opaque deal. We can’t prove
corruption. But we can prove FIFA is hiding payment amounts and prior relationships.
Why This Is Worse Than the NFL Model
The NFL-Genius Sports model is corrupt. We documented it in the HOUSE ALWAYS WINS series:
- NFL owns 8-10% of Genius Sports (largest shareholder)
- NFL mandates RFID tracking in player shoulder pads (generates NGS data)
- NFL gives NGS data exclusively to Genius
- Genius sells data to sportsbooks
- NFL profits when betting volume increases
But at least the NFL disclosed its equity stake. It's buried in SPAC filings and earnings calls, but it's findable. You can trace the conflict.
FIFA's model is worse because there's no disclosed equity relationship — which makes the deal more suspicious, not less.
If FIFA owned equity in Stats Perform, the deal would make sense:
- FIFA gives exclusive data rights
- Stats Perform profits from monopoly
- FIFA's equity stake appreciates
- FIFA benefits financially from the data it provides
But FIFA doesn't own Stats Perform equity (at least none is disclosed). So FIFA is giving away a data monopoly for... what exactly?
An undisclosed licensing fee. No equity upside. No transparency.
This suggests the deal isn't structured to maximize FIFA revenue. It's structured to benefit someone else — Vista Equity, Stats Perform, or intermediaries with undisclosed relationships.
And that's the pattern throughout FIFA: give away long-term value for short-term cash, with payment amounts hidden in Swiss non-profit accounting.
What Happens Next
Post 2 documented the Stats Perform mystery: exclusive betting data rights, undisclosed payment, Vista Equity ownership, DAZN-PIF connections, and an opaque FIFA dealmaker.
Post 3 will map the Saudi web in detail: how PIF money flows through DAZN, Aramco, stadium loans, and hosting rights to create circular financial relationships that benefit Saudi interests while FIFA gives away value.
The Stats Perform deal isn't isolated corruption. It's one piece of a global financial architecture where FIFA executives negotiate deals that benefit private equity and sovereign wealth funds — while players who generate the value get 3%.
WHAT’S CONFIRMED (Primary Sources):
• Stats Perform deal announced: January 12, 2026 (FIFA press release)
• Deal terms: Exclusive betting data/streaming rights through 2029 (FIFA/Stats Perform press releases)
• Data included: RunningBall (ultrafast events), Opta (player stats), Bet LiveStreams — confirmed in releases
• Payment amount: UNDISCLOSED (not in press releases, not broken out in FIFA financials)
• Stats Perform ownership: Vista Equity Partners (bought from DAZN 2019 for ~$400M) — confirmed via Crunchbase, press reports
• PIF stake in DAZN: $1B (2024) — confirmed by multiple sources
• Romy Gai: FIFA CBO since April 2022, quoted in Stats Perform press releases
• Gai’s background: AWE International Chairman (2015-2022), UAE Pro League CEO, Juventus CCO — confirmed via LinkedIn, company records
• AWE Saudi office: Reported 2018 (FANBOX JV launch press release)
WHAT’S INFERRED (Clearly Labeled):
• “Deal isn’t structured to maximize FIFA revenue”: Our assessment based on lack of equity + undisclosed payment
• “Opacity IS the corruption”: Our characterization based on hidden payment amounts
• “Structural conflicts”: Our conclusion based on Gai’s Saudi background + FIFA’s Saudi deals
WHY THIS MATTERS:
FIFA gave exclusive betting data rights to a private equity-owned company (Vista/
Stats Perform) for undisclosed payment. No equity stake. No transparency. The
dealmaker came from an opaque consulting firm with Saudi operations. This is
the NFL-Genius model without the disclosure — which makes it worse, not better.
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