The Council of Europe calls on FIFA to protect football from political and financial pressures

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) should embark on a "third half" and work to protect football from political and financial pressures before the next World Cup, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe said on Sunday.

A few hours before the final between Argentina and Spain, Alain Berset points out that the 2026 World Cup has raised "a whole series of questions", citing in particular the suspension by FIFA of the red card given to the American Folarin Balogun, without explanation and after intervention by Donald Trump.

"A sanction was suspended during the competition, after a head of state called the FIFA president," the secretary general noted, regretting that "political influence" is now being exerted "even on the field."

To protect football from political and financial pressures, Mr. Berset suggests that FIFA embark on "a third half" by working "urgently to strengthen the integrity of the sport", which he believes is threatened by "money and power".

In addition to "a suspended sanction under pressure", this 2026 World Cup has been marked by the "questioning" of the authority of referees, he adds in a statement sent to AFP.

He also deplores "racist insults aimed at players, some of which were uttered by elected figures" and "bets on every pass, every card, every corner".

"We no longer bet solely on the result of a match, but also on the actions a player can perform without affecting the score. You win a bet by making other people lose. This opens the door to fraud," warns Mr. Berset.

"This World Cup has opened the door even further. For the first time, FIFA has among its official partners a company from the prediction markets sector, which is present even in the stadiums," adds the Secretary General of this organization which has 46 member states and acts as a watchdog for human rights on the continent.

Alain Berset calls on FIFA to "start a constructive dialogue this evening, in order to prepare the framework of integrity that will apply to the 2030 World Cup".