International organizations monitoring the integrity of sports are investigating several cases of unusual betting activity during the 2026 World Cup. According to a report by the Group of Copenhagen, an advisory body to the Council of Europe, a total of seven cases have been detected that raise doubts and deserve further investigation.
The case of US national team striker Folarin Balogun is attracting the most attention. The footballer received a straight red card in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which according to the rules means an automatic suspension for the next match. A few days later, however, the FIFA disciplinary committee lifted the sanction and Balogun was allowed to play against Belgium.
It was around this case that unusual activity was registered in the sports betting market. A special market was opened on the Polymarket platform asking whether Balogun would be available for the match against Belgium - something that experts say has not happened to any other player with a direct red card during the tournament.
The report also points to other matches where unusual betting patterns were reported, including controversial decisions using the VAR system and unusually large volumes of bets on specific events in individual matches.
The Balogun case has sparked further controversy after reports emerged that US President Donald Trump had spoken to FIFA President Gianni Infantino before the striker's ban was lifted. This has led to criticism and calls for an investigation into whether external pressure was exerted on the decision.
Group of Copenhagen stresses that the signals detected do not constitute evidence of match-fixing, but are indications of unusual betting patterns that require in-depth investigation. There is currently no official evidence that results from matches at the 2026 World Cup were manipulated.