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Ivory Coast’s quest for a World Cup got off to a great start with a 1-0 win over Ecuador on Sunday, but a recent scandal involving one of its players could cast a dark cloud over its entire tournament run.
According to The Athletic, Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi was arrested on suspicion of fixing wrongdoing less than two weeks before the start of the tournament.
Elye Wahi of Cote d’Ivoire plays during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group E match against Ecuador at Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia, Pa., on June 14, 2026. (Joe Prior/Visionhaus)
The arrest stems from an incident during a May 17 match in the French Ligue 1 where Wahi, while playing for his club Nice, was intentionally booked against Metz.
Wahi was arrested on 29 May by French police, hours after scoring two goals in a win over Saint-Étienne.
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According to a spokesman for the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Marseille, Wahi was released from police custody after he was interviewed by the authorities.
While the investigation is still ongoing, Wahi has traveled to the United States and himself played in Ivory Coast’s win over Ecuador this past weekend.
The belief is that Wahi engaged in a practice called “spot-fixing”, which is essentially manipulating events within a match that players with inside knowledge can then gamble on.
New York City FC forward Jovan Mijatovic receives a yellow card from referee Keylor Herrera during the second half against Queretaro FC at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, NY on July 28, 2024. (Mark Smith/USA TODAY Sports)
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The Athletic say suspicions were raised when the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), the governing body that runs the league in France, was tipped off to suspicious betting patterns in Nice’s Ligue 1 match against Metz that involved betting on Wahi to receive a yellow card.
A yellow card was shown to Wahi in the 35th minute of the match against Metz and he was suspended due to accumulation of yellow cards for the following match, the first leg of a relegation playoff against Saint-Étienne, which Nice drew 0–0.
Ivory Coast’s Elye Wahi and teammate Nicolas Pepe react after missing a chance to score against Ecuador during a World Cup Group E soccer match in Philadelphia on June 14, 2026. (Matt Slocum/AP)
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Wahi has not been charged with any crimes as the investigation continues.
OutKick has contacted FIFA for a comment on the matter.
