Just days before his departure for the World Cup, Ivorian striker Elye Wahi was detained by French police and questioned in a potential match-fixing case involving Ligue 1.

French authorities questioned Elye Wahi, the Ivorian international striker, just days before he was set to represent Côte d’Ivoire at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The news emerged as French investigators probing alleged match-fixing in Ligue 1 took the player in for questioning. Wahi, who spent the season with OGC Nice, was detained as part of an investigation into suspicious betting patterns tied to a specific incident during his team’s final match of the campaign.

The probe began after the French Professional Football League received multiple reports of irregular betting activity targeting a particular scenario—the issuance of a yellow card to Wahi. This concerned the match between Nice and Metz on May 17, which ended 0-0. In that game, Wahi received a yellow card in the 35th minute for a reckless tackle on Metz defender Sadibou Sané. Just two minutes earlier, he had committed a similar foul on left-back Bouna Sarr without being penalized. The card marked Wahi’s fifth yellow of the season, resulting in a one-match suspension that kept him out of the first leg of Nice’s relegation playoff against Saint-Étienne, which also ended 0-0.

From suspension to standout performance

Returning to the lineup three days later for the second leg, Wahi delivered a stellar performance, scoring twice and earning man-of-the-match honors in Nice’s 4-1 victory that secured their Ligue 1 status. Yet, it was shortly after this match—on May 29—that he was taken in for questioning by French anti-corruption officers.

The Marseille public prosecutor’s office confirmed the arrest in an official statement: “We can confirm that a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player was arrested on May 29 as part of an investigation opened by the Marseille public prosecutor’s office into alleged organized fraud, sports corruption, money laundering, and handling of stolen goods.” The prosecutor’s office did not name the player but specified that he was not part of the French national team participating in the World Cup. Multiple reports identify the player as Elye Wahi, a former French youth international who switched allegiance to Côte d’Ivoire ahead of the 2026 tournament.

The prosecutor added that the procedure did not advance further at that stage: “He was released after questioning. The investigation is ongoing.” As of now, Wahi has not been charged and was able to travel freely to the World Cup being hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Last Sunday in Philadelphia, Wahi made his World Cup debut for Côte d’Ivoire against Ecuador. Starting the match, he combined well with teammate Yan Diomande, who was named man of the match, before hitting the crossbar. Later, his teammate Amad Diallo scored the winning goal in the 90th minute, securing a 1-0 victory for the Elephants.

When approached for comment, FIFA did not respond regarding whether it was aware of Wahi’s arrest prior to his first match or whether it could impact his eligibility to play or travel. The striker is now set to face Germany in Toronto on Saturday for the second match of the group stage.