An international advisory body has raised seven notices relating to possible match manipulation from potential betting irregularities identified in the 2026 men’s World Cup.
The findings from the Group of Copenhagen — an independent international network dedicated to detecting, sanctioning, and preventing the manipulation of sports competitions — follow its integrity monitoring operation across the tournament’s 104 matches.
The full report has not yet been published but a summary of its conclusions has been released by the Council of Europe. According to sources briefed on the report, who spoke anonymously as they were not authorised to do so publicly, among the in-game notices to raise potential irregularities were:
- The red card shown to South Africa’s Themba Zwane in the 84th minute of his side’s tournament-opening game against Mexico
- American cryptocurrency-based prediction market Polymarket receiving $4.8 million (£3.6m) on markets for Spain not to defeat Cape Verde in their group-stage game, which ended in a goalless draw
- The three-and-a-half-minute delay from the video assistant referee (VAR) team to disallow a goal from Spain’s Ferran Torres in its 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia
The findings, sources say, also detailed how Polymarket opened a market on July 2 asking, “Will Folarin Balogun play against Belgium?” That was opened on the same day the U.S. forward was shown a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last-32 stage.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee only confirmed that Balogun would be available to play, having had his ban suspended, on July 5. Sources say the Group of Copenhagen’s report said no other such markets were opened for the other 14 players who were shown a red card during the tournament — none of whom had bans suspended.
The Group of Copenhagen — which operates under the Council of Europe’s Macolin Convention, a multilateral treaty which seeks to address fixing by changing international law — has said it has sent an official request for a written explanation to FIFA regarding the Balogun case.
Is this data compatible/synced with OSM? That would be really cool.