Two Spain World Cup matches probed over betting, FIFA's stance

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·23 de julio de 2026

Two Spain World Cup matches probed over betting, FIFA's stance

An investigation by the Copenhagen Group, a network that serves as an adviser to the Council of Europe to prevent and detect the manipulation of sports competitions, issued seven alerts related to the alleged match-fixing stemming from possible betting irregularities detected during the 2026 World Cup. Among the matches under investigation are two involving the Spain national team, which ended up winning the World Cup.

Although the full report has not yet been published, a summary of the body’s conclusions was recently released, stemming from its integrity monitoring operation across the 104 matches of the tournament organized by FIFA.

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The body reported that it monitored all World Cup matches, 15 of which were placed under closer scrutiny, especially during the final round of the group stage. Meanwhile, 7 yellow alerts were issued and 12 major controversies are being analyzed “in light of integrity risks.”

Which 2026 World Cup matches are being investigated

According to The Athletic (owned by The New York Times), the alerts issued to report possible irregularities include:

The red card shown to South Africa midfielder Themba Zwane in the 84th minute of his team’s opening match of the tournament against Mexico, in Group A.
The match between Spain and Cape Verde: Polymarket (a cryptocurrency-based prediction website) received $4.8 million in bets that Spain would not beat Cape Verde in their group-stage match, which ended in a scoreless draw.
The three-and-a-half-minute delay by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team in disallowing a goal by Spain’s Ferran Torres in the 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia.
Folarin Balogun’s red card is also under investigation. According to The Athletic, it was determined that Polymarket opened a market on July 2 asking “Will Folarin Balogun play against Belgium?” on the same day the U.S. forward received a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 16.
It is worth noting that FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee only confirmed on July 5 that Balogun would be available to play after suspending his sanction. According to the previously cited outlet, the Copenhagen Group’s report indicates that no other similar markets were opened for the other 14 players who received a red card during the World Cup. In any case, experts point out that the irregularities detected could be due to factors other than match manipulation. It should be noted that the Copenhagen Group’s operation was carried out in coordination with FIFA’s Integrity Task Force, of which the Council of Europe, as an independent body, is a member. FIFA’s position on the alleged match-fixing at the 2026 World Cup On Tuesday, FIFA’s Integrity Task Force published its own report, stating that “no suspicious betting activity or indications of match manipulation were identified in relation to any match” throughout the World Cup. However, on Wednesday, the Copenhagen Group detailed that seven “yellow alerts” had been issued as part of its own monitoring of the World Cup. According to its definition, these alerts are flagged due to “various different indicators of irregularities,” which may include “unexplained odds fluctuations, rumors on social media, or source information.” “The collaborative nature of the Task Force enabled an experienced, coordinated and timely assessment and response to any alert or indication of possible match manipulation during the FIFA World Cup 2026, with each participating member contributing its specific expertise,” the Integrity Task Force said. The FIFA body was created in 2019 for that year’s Women’s World Cup and has since been present at every World Cup, with the Copenhagen Group coordinating with it at each tournament.