The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, on Sunday called on the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to engage in what he described as the "third half" by working to protect football from political and financial pressures before the next edition of the World Cup.

Hours before the final match between Argentina and Spain, Berset said that the 2026 World Cup raised "a whole series of questions," particularly pointing to FIFA's decision to suspend the red card shown by the referee to American player Folarin Balogun, without explanation, and after intervention from US President Donald Trump.

The Secretary General said: "A penalty was suspended during the tournament after a head of state called the FIFA president," expressing regret that "political influence now extends even to the pitch."

Berset considered that FIFA must start a "third half" by working "urgently to strengthen the integrity of sport," considering that this integrity is threatened by "money and influence."

He added, in a statement received by Agence France-Presse, that the 2026 World Cup also witnessed "the suspension of a penalty under pressure" and "questioning of the authority of referees."

He also denounced "racist insults targeting players, some of which came from elected officials," and the widespread betting that covers "every pass, every card, every corner kick."

Berset warned: "Betting is no longer limited to the outcome of the match, but now also includes events that a player can carry out without affecting the result. A bet can be won by causing losses to others, and this opens the door to fraud."

He added that this edition of the World Cup "has widened that door further," noting that "for the first time, FIFA includes among its official partners a company operating in the prediction market sector, which is present even inside stadiums."

The Council of Europe includes 46 member states and is considered the leading European body in the field of human rights.

Berset called on FIFA to "start a constructive dialogue from this evening, in order to prepare an integrity framework to be applied in the 2030 World Cup."

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