The Athletic: Two football players suspected of match-fixing competing in World Cup

According to the renowned sports outlet The Athletic, at least two players suspected of match-fixing will compete in the football World Cup beginning June 11 in North America. The scandal casts a shadow over preparations for the major summer event.

According to the American sports outlet The Athletic, the 2025 football World Cup is overshadowed by a match-fixing scandal — the tournament, which begins on June 11 in North America, has been accessed by at least two players who are under suspicion in connection with match-fixing.

The outlet did not disclose the names of the suspected players or the countries of their national teams. It is also unclear whether this concerns active investigations or previously identified cases that have not resulted in competition bans for the players.

The World Cup final tournament is one of the world's most-watched sporting events, and match-fixing incidents have become an increasingly significant problem in football. FIFA has strengthened its integrity oversight in recent years, but critics argue that the measures are insufficient.