FIFA has rejected allegations of match-fixing during the 2026 World Cup, calling them baseless. In an official statement, the global football governing body said that after extensive monitoring throughout the tournament, no evidence of suspicious betting or match manipulation was found. The Integrity Task Force, comprising the FBI, Interpol, UNODC, and international betting monitoring agencies, reviewed data from all 104 matches and confirmed the absence of irregularities.

Despite the clean findings on match-fixing, the tournament saw several refereeing controversies. The Egyptian Football Association protested strongly after their 3–2 loss to Argentina in the round of 16, accusing referees of serious errors and demanding their expulsion from the World Cup. Egypt’s coach Hossam Hassan also made a controversial gesture during the match and later alleged that FIFA wanted Lionel Messi to remain in the tournament, sparking widespread debate.

FIFA’s chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina dismissed these claims as unfounded, while senior integrity manager Liam Rich praised the task force’s effectiveness and confirmed that similar monitoring systems will continue in future tournaments.