Seven Betting Alerts Reported During 2026 FIFA World Cup

The Group of Copenhagen has submitted seven alerts over potential betting irregularities linked to matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to The Athletic, one of the main concerns involves United States forward Folarin Balogun. After receiving a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Balogun was expected to miss the Round of 16 match against Belgium. However, FIFA later overturned his one-match suspension.

The report notes that prediction platform Polymarket opened a market asking whether Balogun would play against Belgium. No similar markets were reportedly created for the other 14 players sent off during the tournament.

The Group of Copenhagen also highlighted unusual betting activity on Spain’s group-stage match against Cape Verde, as well as a lengthy VAR review that ruled out a goal in Spain’s match against Saudi Arabia. FIFA’s Integrity Task Force stated:

No suspicious betting activity or indications of match manipulation in connection with any fixture have been identified across the entirety of the competition.

The Group of Copenhagen operates under the Council of Europe’s Macolin Convention, which focuses on preventing sports competition manipulation. The organisation has shared its findings with FIFA and is seeking clarification regarding the reported betting alerts.

At this stage, the alerts do not confirm match-fixing or wrongdoing. They are intended to highlight unusual betting patterns and incidents that may require further investigation.