The Council of Europe’s top official has accused FIFA of enabling fraud and political interference in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup. The accusation comes with a direct call for integrity reforms inside football’s most powerful governing body.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will feature 48 teams for the first time. That’s a massive expansion from the traditional 32-team format.
The accusations and what they mean
The Council of Europe chief’s statement centers on two core allegations: that FIFA has enabled fraud, and that political interference has compromised the organization’s decision-making. The call isn’t just for investigation. It’s for structural integrity reforms.
The timing matters because the 2026 tournament represents an unprecedented scale of commercial activity. A 48-team World Cup means more host cities, more venue contracts, more broadcasting deals, and more sponsorship revenue flowing through FIFA’s accounts.
