The Council of Europe has called on FIFA to initiate a formal dialogue on protecting football from political, financial, and sports betting pressures.
The 46-nation multilateral organization raised sharp concerns over recent political interference in sport. Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset highlighted how political pressure has directly reached the field of play, pointing to a recent incident where a player’s suspension was lifted mid-tournament following a phone call from a head of state to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The reference addresses an intervention by US President Donald Trump, who called Infantino to overturn a one-match suspension issued to United States national team player Folarin Balogun. Balogun had received a red card during the World Cup round of 16 match against Bosnia. The penalty was subsequently rescinded, allowing Balogun to play in the team’s 4-1 round of 16 loss to Belgium.
Berset warned that bypassing established rules due to external pressure undermines the credibility of any match result.
Read more about this topic: Trump confirms requesting FIFA re-evaluation of Balogun red card (with video)
In response, Berset proposed organizing a constructive dialogue with FIFA to build a robust integrity framework ahead of the 2030 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Spain, Morocco, and Portugal. He also warned against the growing influence of sports betting, noting that match manipulation naturally follows financial models built on forced losses.
Based in Strasbourg, France, the Council of Europe is an independent international body separate from the European Union, encompassing 46 member states. The organization previously helped establish international legal standards regarding spectator safety, anti-doping measures, and the fight against match-fixing.
