The Council of Europe on Sunday publicly challenged FIFA’s integrity and called for an immediate framework overhaul for the 2030 World Cup, citing political interference, gambling-related fraud risks, and opaque disciplinary decisions during the current tournament.
In an open letter to FIFA, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset condemned the suspension of U.S. forward Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban following pressure from President Donald Trump, and criticized a $150 million sponsorship deal with prediction-market firm ADI Predictstreet as “an open door to fraud.”
Berset also raised concerns over referee authority, racist abuse, and rampant betting on in-game events.
The 46-nation body, which has a formal working agreement with FIFA, urged immediate dialogue to establish integrity safeguards before the 2030 edition, co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with centenary matches in South America.
FIFA has not yet released documents justifying its Balogun ruling, which UEFA previously condemned as crossing “a red line” in soccer governance.
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