--- title: "Suspicious Bets on Polymarket Suggest Something Fishy Was Happening During the World Cup" description: "An international sports integrity body has flagged several suspicious bets on Polymarket related to the World Cup." date: "2026-07-24" modified: "2026-07-24" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/future-society/suspicious-bets-polymarket-world-cup" categories: - "Finance" - "Future Society" --- # Suspicious Bets on Polymarket Suggest Something Fishy Was Happening During the World Cup ![Rodri #16 of Spain lifts the FIFA World Cup Winner’s Trophy after the team’s victory following the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.]() *David Ramos / Getty Images* While the rest of us were busy rooting against Argentina, suspicious things were afoot on gambling markets related to the World Cup. The Group of Copenhagen, an international sports integrity body, has flagged seven suspicious bets on platforms including Polymarket, which it says could be related to match manipulation. The full report hasn't been released yet. But sources [told *The Athletic*]() that some of the bets that raised "irregularities" include the nearly $4.8 million placed on Polymarket for Spain not to defeat Cape Verde in their group stage match-up. The game ended in a goalless draw, in [one of the first major shocks of the tournament](). Another Polymarket bet that raised suspicion was "Will Folarin Balogun play against Belgium?" which was opened on the same day, July 2, that the US striker received a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina. A red card means a player is suspended for at least one game, and the Belgium matchup was the US's next. In a now-scandalous twist, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee made the unprecedented move of *suspending* Balogun's suspension, allowing him to play the next game. This wasn't announced until July 5 — and it soon came to light that the decision was made after US president Trump personally called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to complain about the red card; later, Trump [praised]() the deferral of Balogun's ban as a "great decision." Heightening the suspicions, sources told *The Athletic* that the Group of Copenhagen report found no other markets like the one opened for Balogun were opened for any of the other 14 players who were shown a red card during the World Cup. FIFA's own Integrity Task Force, however, doesn't see any signs of nefarious activity. In a report published Tuesday, it concluded there was "no suspicious betting activity or indications of match manipulation in connection with any fixture," per *The Athletic*. The Group of Copenhagen, by contrast, said it's found seven "yellow notices" in bets related to the World Cup, which it explains are flagged for reasons including "unexplained fluctuations in odds, rumours on social media or source information." (Yellow notice ranks below orange and red, the highest level of notice.) Right now, no specific allegations are being made. But the Balogun bet could be seen as a sign of insider trading. The Trump administration has already been hit with several similar scandals related to prediction markets, including a White House teleprompter who's [being investigated for allegedly making over $100,000]() by placing bets on Kalshi related to Trump's speeches. It's possible that the Group of Copenhagen is flagging the bets for reasons other than manipulation, according to Christian Kalb, a gambling industry expert who formerly worked with the organization. Instead, it could be because platforms like Polymarket are being used by hedging markets, as what might be the case with the bets placed over the Spain versus Cape Verde match. "If you are a traditional bookmaker, there will be matches when everyone bets on a very strong favourite to win. So maybe, from a bookmaker's perspective, there are too many people betting on this outcome," Kalb told *The Athletic*. "If they are a small company, this may be a risk: so they could use a prediction market like Polymarket to hedge that risk." **More on gambling:** [*A New Type of Gambling Scandal Is Sweeping Through Sports*]() ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()