The secretary general of the Council of Europe has criticized Fifa for allegedly creating an “The Fifa World Cup 2026 has raised question after question,” and permitting political interference that undermines the integrity of the World Cup.
In an open letter released as the final match approached, Alain Berset urged for a new integrity framework to be established prior to the 2030 tournament, which will primarily take place in Europe. He cautioned that Fifa is currently facing a crisis related to financial misconduct and power struggles.
Berset pointed to the controversy surrounding Fifa’s choice to suspend USA striker Folarin Balogun, while also hinting at remarks made by Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla about Kylian Mbappé and former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s comments regarding the French national team.
“A sanction suspended under pressure, within days, with no reasons given. The authority of referees called into question. Racist abuse of players, some of it from elected officials. Betting on every pass, every card, every corner. The celebration will end tonight. The questions will not.” Berset stated. “human rights, integrity and good governance in sport”
This criticism holds significant weight, especially considering the memorandum of understanding signed between Fifa and the Council of Europe in 2018, aimed at enhancing cooperation on issues such as “Betting has moved from the result of a match to moments a single player can produce without changing the score,” Open criticism between these two organizations is exceedingly rare.
Berset also scrutinized Fifa’s recent partnership with ADI Predictstreet, which became the official prediction market partner for the World Cup in April. He remarked, “A bet is won by making others lose. It is an open door to fraud. And this World Cup has opened the door wider.”
Further addressing the lifting of Balogun’s ban, which reportedly followed a call from U.S. President Donald Trump to Fifa President Gianni Infantino, Berset emphasized, “When the rules bend under pressure, every result is open to doubt.”
Infantino has maintained that the decision to revoke Balogun’s ban was made independently by Fifa’s disciplinary committee “based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts”
Berset, who hails from Switzerland, proposed initiating a “working dialogue that starts tonight” to begin the urgent task of bolstering the integrity of sports ahead of future World Cups. He referenced the Council of Europe’s work in creating a binding treaty to ensure fan safety following the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985, as well as subsequent legislation designed to combat doping and match-fixing.
This letter arrives shortly after a group of 72 European Parliament members contacted the 27 EU-based football associations, requesting an investigation into Infantino’s involvement in the Balogun situation. They highlighted potential violations of political neutrality and suggested that Fifa may have breached its own ethical guidelines.
It seems unlikely that Uefa, the governing body for European football, will pursue the matter further. In June, a group of 50 European Parliament members wrote to Infantino and the Fifa council, urging an investigation into the awarding of the Fifa peace prize to Trump.
Fifa has been approached for a comment regarding these allegations.
This past week, reports have emerged indicating that over 200 of Fifa’s member associations have formally supported Infantino’s bid for re-election for a fourth term in March.
