There was a match fixing in North American World Cup? Multiple suspicious cases have been raised at this World Cup.
“The Athletic” reported on the 23rd local time that an international advisory organization named “The Copenhagen Group of Copenhagen” presented seven suspected cases based on signs of betting anomalies regarding the 2026 North American World Cup.
The Copenhagen Group is an independent international network that detects, sanctions and prevents manipulation of sporting events. They released the results after completing monitoring activities for 104 matches played at the World Cup.
사진 확대 Multiple suspected match fixing cases have been raised in the North American World Cup. Photo = REUTERS= Courtesy of Yonhap News
The full report has not yet been released, but according to the European Council, a multilateral treaty to cope with match manipulation through the revision of international law, Tembazwan’s exit in the 39th minute of the opening match between Mexico and South Africa, the case of $4.8 million (£3.6 million) in Spain’s inability to beat its group match opponent Cabo Verde in the U.S. cryptocurrency-based forecasting market, and the delay of VAR readings by 3 1/2 minutes before Spain’s 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia was canceled.
The Athletic, citing sources, introduced the report that the Polymarket also detailed the opening of a betting market on July 2 on whether or not Polarin Balogun could play in the round of 16 against Belgium. Balogun’s case was the only case in which a betting market was opened regarding whether or not an exited player would participate.
사진 확대 Tembazwane, who was sent off in the opening match against Mexico, was suspended for three games. Photo = AP= Courtesy of Yonhap News
The Copenhagen Group’s activities were conducted in collaboration with the FIFA-run ‘Integrity Task Force’, and both the Copenhagen Group and the European Council participated as members of the task force.
Unlike the Copenhagen Group, which raised the suspicious case, FIFA said the findings were “a result of the collaboration of a number of independent expert groups,” claiming that “the betting monitoring reports and other relevant data and information provided by members of its task force, as well as information received through the available reporting channels, were analyzed and shared in accordance with operational procedures, and no signs of suspicious betting activity or match-fixing were found in relation to any game.”
The Copenhagen group had a slightly different idea. They issued ‘yellow notis’ in these seven cases.
Depending on the severity of the matter, the group classifies the situation in four colors: green (normal), yellow (caution stage), orange (warning stage), and red (highest alert stage), which is issued when “various signs of cheating” are detected, including “inexplicable fluctuations in dividend rates, social media rumours, or internal information.”
사진 확대 Balogun was ordered to leave via VAR. Photo = REUTERS= Courtesy of Yonhap News
In this regard, Christian Calve, a gambling industry expert who has worked with various governments to deal with betting regulations and has also worked with Copenhagen Group in the past, told The Athletic, “The Copenhagen Group’s issuance of warnings can be explained by abnormal movements, such as changes in dividend rates or flow of funds to avoid risk, and can often be fully explained for reasons other than match manipulation.”
He explained, for example, that traditional betting companies can avoid that risk by using forecasting markets such as polymarkets because it can be a risk factor if there is a one-sided rush of bets to the overwhelming favorite team. Using the situation where the favorite is defeated like insurance.
Meanwhile, the Copenhagen Group estimated that a total of $240 billion worth of bets were made during the World Cup. This is twice the amount of bets made during the Qatar World Cup. A total of 15 games during the World Cup games were designated as strengthened surveillance targets and were particularly focused on the final group match. They said in the final group match, “12 major controversies were analyzed from the perspective of quality risk.”
[San Francisco (USA) = KIM JAE HO, MK Sports Correspondent]