An independent international body known as the Group of Copenhagen has identified seven suspicious incidents concerning potential match-fixing and betting irregularities during the 2026 World Cup. The findings emerged from a comprehensive integrity monitoring operation covering all 104 matches of the tournament. The Council of Europe, which collaborated on the oversight, has released a summary of the conclusions, although the full investigative report has not yet been made public.

Among the flagged activities are major betting anomalies on platforms like Polymarket. Specifically, investigators noted nearly $4.8 million in wagers placed against Spain winning their match against Cape Verde, which ended in a 0-0 draw. Additionally, concerns were raised regarding a betting market on July 2 regarding U.S. striker Folarin Balogun's participation against Belgium, which coincided with the player receiving a red card in a match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, effectively ruling him out of the subsequent fixture. Another specific incident mentioned in reports involves a red card issued to Themba Zwane during the match against Mexico.

These irregularities are currently under official scrutiny to determine the extent of illicit sports betting influence. While investigations remain ongoing, the focus remains on the integrity of the tournament results and the underlying betting activities that triggered the flags. Further details are expected to be disclosed once the complete report is finalized.