A Call for Integrity in Football
Alain Berset, the secretary general of the Council of Europe, has issued an open letter accusing FIFA of opening the door to fraud and allowing political influence to undermine the integrity of the World Cup.
He argues that a fresh integrity framework must be established before the 2030 tournament, which is slated to be hosted primarily across Europe, and he points to recent controversies that have cast doubt on the sport’s credibility.
Berset specifically referenced the suspension of USA striker Folarin Balogun, a case that sparked debate among legislators, and alluded to remarks by Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla about Kylian Mbappé and former Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy concerning the French team.
Historical Precedents of Reform
The Council of Europe previously introduced a binding treaty to protect fans just three months after the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985, demonstrating its capacity to act swiftly when sport’s safety is at stake.
Building on that legacy, Berset proposes an urgent dialogue to strengthen sport’s integrity, urging member states and governing bodies to collaborate on stricter regulations before future World Cups.
His criticism extends to FIFA’s partnership with ADI Predictstreet, which was named the World Cup’s official prediction market partner in April, a deal he views as compromising the tournament’s fairness.
The proposal has resonated within the European Parliament, where more than 70 members have called for an investigation into FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s handling of the Balogun case, while 50 legislators have demanded scrutiny of the awarding of the FIFA Peace Prize to former U.S. president Donald Trump.
With over 200 of FIFA’s member associations backing Infantino’s bid for a fourth term, the debate over governance and transparency is poised to shape the sport’s trajectory as the 2030 World Cup approaches.