JOHANNESBURG — Bafana Bafana midfielder Themba Zwane has been linked to an international investigation into alleged betting irregularities during the 2026 FI...
JOHANNESBURG — Bafana Bafana midfielder Themba Zwane has been linked to an international investigation into alleged betting irregularities during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, although FIFA says there is no evidence implicating the South African international in any wrongdoing.
The investigation focuses on Zwane’s red card during South Africa’s 2-0 defeat to Mexico in their opening match of the tournament. The incident has been highlighted in a report by the Group of Copenhagen, an independent international network associated with the Council of Europe.
Zwane, who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns, was sent off in the 84th minute after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review determined that he had raised his arm against Mexico defender Roberto Alvarado.
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Following the match, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee upgraded Zwane’s suspension to three matches. South African Football Association (SAFA) appealed the decision, but the appeal was unsuccessful, bringing the midfielder’s World Cup campaign to an early end.
According to The Athletic, investigators from the Group of Copenhagen identified the incident as one of seven “yellow notices” linked to suspicious betting patterns recorded during the tournament.
The report said investigators were examining whether betting syndicates targeted specific in-game betting markets, including player bookings and red cards.
Other incidents highlighted in the report included unusual betting activity surrounding Cape Verde’s draw against Spain, an extended VAR review during Spain’s match against Saudi Arabia and irregular betting on player suspension markets.
Despite the concerns raised in the report, FIFA has maintained that there is no evidence to suggest that any match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup was manipulated.
Independent betting analyst Christian Kalb also urged caution in interpreting the findings, saying unusual betting patterns alone do not prove match-fixing and may instead reflect market movements or hedging strategies.
No formal evidence has been made public linking Zwane, Bafana Bafana or SAFA to any match-fixing offence. The investigation remains focused on betting market activity rather than allegations against individual players.
The Group of Copenhagen estimates that global betting on the 2026 FIFA World Cup reached approximately US$240 billion. It said the sheer volume of betting across the tournament’s 104 matches increases the likelihood of statistical anomalies, making further analysis necessary before drawing conclusions.
