The integrity of the 2026 World Cup is at the center of the debate following recent revelations by the Copenhagen Group, an international advisory network affiliated with the Council of Europe.
In a preliminary analysis of the tournament, this specialized body issued seven yellow alerts pointing to anomalies and atypical financial flows recorded in the sports betting markets.
Among the incidents singled out were the red card given to South Africa’s Themba Zwane against Mexico, more than 4 million euros wagered on a draw between Spain and Cape Verde, and a lengthy VAR review that disallowed a goal by Ferran Torres.
These unexpected shifts in odds and game decisions prompted independent investigators to seek clarification.
In light of these suspicions, FIFA maintains a stance of absolute inflexibility and rejects any suggestion of manipulation.
The international governing body asserts that all 104 matches were monitored in real time by its dedicated integrity unit in collaboration with Interpol and the FBI, and maintains that no evidence of fraudulent activity was identified.
