The SIGA Football Integrity Forum Returns to Portugal with an International Focus

The SIGA Football Integrity Forum will return to Portugal on September 23, 2026. Organized by the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) and sponsored by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) at the Cidade do Futebol in Oeiras, the event will gather senior executives and experts from football, sports betting, technology, broadcasting, and regulation to discuss critical integrity issues in sports. The program will take place within the framework of the Portugal Football Summit, with sessions focused on legal betting, governance, and the increasing risk of digital piracy.

Forum Priorities: Integrity in Sports Betting, Governance and Digital Piracy

The 2026 edition of the SIGA Football Integrity Forum will address three priority areas. First, the integrity in sports betting, focusing on the protection of sports and its participants; second, the need to move from commitments in governance to demonstrable impacts through independent verification; and finally, the threat of digital piracy and the transformation of the sports broadcasting industry.

The forum will reflect the current context of football, characterized by regulatory transformation, technological disruptions, new economic models, and greater demand for transparency and accountability from sports organizations. The obligation to demonstrate that commitments to integrity and good governance are effective and subject to external review has become increasingly relevant in this scenario.

Integrity in Sports Betting: Challenges and Cooperation

The initial session, "Sports Betting Integrity — Protecting Sport, Protecting People," will take place from 15:10 to 15:50. It will examine how cooperation among sports organizations, regulatory bodies, betting operators, public authorities, and integrity experts can strengthen the protection of sports against match-fixing and betting-related corruption. Issues such as consumer harm prevention, technological innovation, and the protection of vulnerable groups will be present.

Confirmed speakers include Paul Buck (CEO of EPIC Global Solutions), Iñaki Arbea Sarasa (Deputy Director of Integrity at LaLiga), and Ricardo Domingues (President of the APAJO). The session will be moderated by João Paulo Almeida, co-chair of SIGA's Permanent Committee on Sports Betting Integrity.

Governance and Independent Verification in Football

From 16:00 to 16:40, the second session of the forum is titled "Good Governance and Independent Verification — From Commitment to Demonstrable Impact." It will address the need for sports organizations to document, implement, and continuously improve robust governance frameworks, along with their independent verification. SIGA's SIRVS rating and verification system will be presented as a tool for comparing performance with international standards and enhancing organizational credibility and resilience.

Speakers include Gianni Minervini (Interim Executive Director of European Aquatics) and Roberto Fiore (Partner at LP Avvocati and SIGA Council member). The session will be moderated by Katie Simmonds, Global Commercial Director of SIGA and chairwoman of the SIGAWomen council.

Digital Piracy and the Future of Sports Broadcasting

The final session, "Piracy, Technology and the Future of Sports Broadcasting," will take place from 16:50 to 17:30. Here, it will be discussed how piracy and illegal streaming affect revenues and the sustainability of the sports ecosystem. As these practices become more sophisticated, collaboration among rights holders, broadcasters, technology providers, regulators, legislators, and enforcement agencies will become increasingly critical to preserving the commercial value and integrity of sports broadcasts.

Confirmed speakers will include André Mosqueira Amaral (CEO of Liga Portugal) and Mark Noble (Director of Technical Operations at StreamAMG), moderated by Nuno Perestrelo, Senior Director of Communication, Media, and Thought Leadership at SIGA.

Agenda and Details of the SIGA Football Integrity Forum 2026

The event will open with a keynote address by Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, co-founder and global CEO of SIGA, at 15:00 hours. The forum will take place on the GALP stage from 15:00 to 17:30 hours. Among the confirmed participants are representatives from LaLiga, Liga Portugal, European Aquatics, APAJO, EPIC Global Solutions, LiveMode, and StreamAMG.

"The forum will bring together stakeholders from across the sports ecosystem to identify practical solutions, foster collaboration, and strengthen the integrity, credibility, and long-term sustainability of football." — SIGA, official press release

SIGA's Role in Global Sports Integrity

The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) is currently one of the leading entities promoting integrity in the international sports industry. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, with continental branches in America, Europe, and Latin America, SIGA is an independent non-profit organization funded by its members. Through initiatives such as the SIGA Universal Standards and its independent rating system, it promotes governance and certification practices under high standards of integrity. SIGA works with sports entities, governments, academia, sponsors, and rights holders.

DIRECTED: the SIGA Football Integrity Forum 2026 represents a key opportunity for operators, regulators, and providers to learn about regulatory and collaborative initiatives regarding present and emerging risks in both sports betting and technology, regulation applied to protect the football ecosystem.