An international advisory body has reported seven possible cases of match manipulation at the 2026 World Cup.

Throughout the competition, all 104 matches were monitored as part of a large integrity operation coordinated by the Copenhagen Group, a network that brings together national platforms to combat the manipulation of sports competitions.

The Copenhagen Group's system classifies signals into four levels: green, yellow, orange, and red. In this context, a yellow alert indicates several signs that may suggest an anomaly, whether it concerns inexplicable fluctuations in odds, rumors, or information likely to influence betting markets.

The report also refers to how the Polymarket prediction platform operates. According to The Athletic, nearly $4.8 million (in cryptocurrencies) was wagered on the betting market predicting that Spain would not defeat Cape Verde in the group stage. An exceptionally large amount for a highly hypothetical scenario before the match... which ended, as it turned out, in a draw (0-0).

The report also mentions the episode related to Folarin Balogun. After his elimination from the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Polymarket opened a line asking whether the American forward would be allowed to play against Belgium, even before FIFA officially confirmed the suspension of the red card.