A new report has raised questions about the integrity of the 2026 World Cup. According to an investigation published Thursday by The Athletic, the Copenhagen Group, an international body that advises on monitoring sports betting and identifying suspected match-fixing, detected seven possible irregularities during the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico that could indicate matches were manipulated.
The findings contradict FIFA's conclusions in an internal report issued earlier by its integrity team. Working with the FBI, Interpol and other law enforcement agencies, the team monitored betting markets and matches in real time and concluded that there were no indications of unusual betting activity or manipulation.
Although the Copenhagen Group's full report has not yet been published, a summary submitted to the Council of Europe and cited by The Athletic details several of the cases that raised suspicions.
One of the most prominent involved US national team striker Folarin Balogun, who was sent off in the round of 32 before the red card was overturned following an intervention by President Donald Trump.
The dismissal was rescinded, allowing Balogun to play against Belgium. According to the report, betting markets opened after the red card on whether Balogun would appear against Belgium, even though such a market should not have existed while his suspension remained in force. The suspension was later overturned following the president's intervention, and Balogun played for the US in its defeat to Belgium.
Another case on the list of irregularities involved the dismissal of South Africa midfielder Themba Zwane in the opening match against Mexico. South Africa finished the game with nine players after two red cards. The report also noted that about $4.8 million was wagered on the Polymarket platform on Spain failing to beat Cape Verde in a match that ended 0-0.
The Copenhagen Group said the findings did not constitute proof of match-fixing, but rather reflected a combination of indicators, including unusual shifts in betting odds, rumors on social media and information from intelligence sources. The report also said an estimated $240 billion in sports bets were placed during the 2026 World Cup, nearly twice the amount wagered during the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
