EU Council says it is monitoring 2026 World Cup matches for betting integrity risks

The European Union Council said all matches at the 2026 World Cup are under monitoring and that several cases need to be assessed for integrity risks, according to a statement reported by The Athletic. Of 104 matches monitored, 15 faced heightened scrutiny, seven yellow alerts were issued over possible manipulation links, and 12 disputed incidents were reviewed, the statement said. Platforms offering in-match micro-betting, wagers on detailed moments within games, were placed under monitoring for the first time. Cases drawing public and media attention included the red card shown to Themba Zwane in South Africa's match against Mexico, a prediction market tied to the Spain-Cape Verde game, and a VAR review of Ferran Torres's goal in the Spain-Saudi Arabia fixture. The incidents do not amount to proof of manipulation in any match so far. FIFA said its integrity team, which monitors all 104 tournament matches both on the field and across betting markets, has detected no indication of suspicious betting activity or match-result manipulation.