Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Ivory Coast forward Elye Wahi, a key member of the Elephants’ squad at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, was arrested by French police less than two weeks before the tournament began over an alleged spot-fixing offence during a Ligue 1 match in May, The Athletic has revealed. Despite the arrest, the 23-year-old has not been charged, was released after questioning, and has already featured for his country in their opening Group E victory against Ecuador.
Wahi, who represents French club OGC Nice on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt, was taken into custody on May 29, 2026, according to a spokesperson for the Marseille public prosecutor’s office. The arrest came just hours after he scored twice in a 4-1 win over Saint-Etienne that secured Nice's survival in Ligue 1. The investigation centres on whether Wahi deliberately earned a yellow card during Nice’s goalless draw with Metz on May 17 – a match in which suspicious betting patterns were flagged by the French Professional Football League (LFP). The Marseille prosecutor’s office confirmed that Wahi was arrested as part of an inquiry into allegations of organised fraud, sports corruption, money laundering, and handling the proceeds of crime. He was released after being interviewed and has not been charged, though the investigation remains active.
The LFP confirmed it had been alerted to an unusual volume of bets on Wahi receiving a booking in the Metz fixture. Wahi was shown a yellow card in the 35th minute for a late challenge on Metz defender Sadibou Sane, which was his fifth booking of the season, triggering a suspension for Nice’s relegation play-off first leg. “These alerts concerned an unusual amount of bets being placed on a caution being issued to the player Elye Wahi,” the LFP said in a statement, adding that it had referred the matter to police and gambling authorities. The league has also filed a criminal complaint against persons unknown for alleged sports corruption and organised fraud, without naming Wahi.
Despite the ongoing investigation, Wahi was permitted to travel to the United States for the World Cup and started in Ivory Coast’s 1-0 win over Ecuador on June 14 in Philadelphia, where he hit the crossbar in the second half before being substituted. He remains eligible for selection as Ivory Coast prepares to face Germany in Toronto on June 20. Wahi, who switched international allegiance from France to Ivory Coast earlier this year, joined Nice on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt in January and has scored nine goals in 18 appearances for the club. He has previously played for Montpellier, Lens, and Marseille, with transfer fees totalling nearly €90 million paid for his services over his career.
FIFA has not commented on the case, and Wahi’s representatives have not responded to requests for comment. The LFP has reserved the right to initiate disciplinary proceedings depending on the progress of the criminal investigation. For now, the young striker remains free to represent his country on the world’s biggest stage, even as a cloud of suspicion hangs over his recent performances.
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