The Council of Europe has urged FIFA to strengthen the integrity of football following concerns raised during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying the tournament exposed serious issues that must be addressed before the 2030 edition.
Speaking on Sunday, the Council of Europe Secretary General, Alain Berset, said the competition, co-hosted by the United States, had raised major questions over political interference, racist abuse directed at players and the expansion of betting markets, according to AFP.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026 has raised question after question,” Berset said. “The celebration will end tonight. The questions will not.”
He called for immediate discussions between FIFA and relevant stakeholders to establish a stronger integrity framework ahead of the 2030 World Cup.
Berset criticised what he described as political influence in football, referring to US President Donald Trump’s reported request to FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the suspension of United States striker Folarin Balogun.
“When the rules bend under pressure, every result is open to doubt,” he said.
The Council of Europe also questioned FIFA’s decision to sign prediction market platform ADI Predictstreet as an official tournament partner, warning that expanding betting beyond match results to individual in-game events increases the risk of fraud.
“It is an open door to fraud. And this World Cup has opened the door wider,” Berset said.
The 46-member Council of Europe has long been involved in promoting integrity in sport, having developed treaties on spectator safety, anti-doping and match-fixing.
Berset urged FIFA to treat the end of the tournament as the beginning of efforts to reinforce transparency and credibility in world football.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded on Sunday with Argentina facing Spain in the final.
