The Council of Europe has questioned the integrity of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, urging FIFA to strengthen its governance and transparency ahead of the 2030 tournament, which will be hosted mainly by Spain and Portugal.
In an open letter published before the World Cup final, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset warned that football’s next major challenge is being driven by “money and power.”
Berset pointed to FIFA’s controversial decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban during the tournament, alleging the move came after pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.
“When the rules bend under pressure, every result is open to doubt.”
He also criticised FIFA’s commercial partnership with prediction market sponsor ADI Predictstreet, warning that such betting platforms could increase the risk of match manipulation.
“It is an open door to fraud. And this World Cup has opened the door wider.”
The Council of Europe, which signed a cooperation agreement with FIFA in 2018 to promote transparency, integrity and human rights in football, called on world football’s governing body to reinforce its governance framework before the 2030 World Cup.
Berset stressed that protecting the integrity of the game is essential to maintaining public trust in international football.
