The attackers of the Ivory Coast national team were arrested on suspicion of match-fixing

According to The Athletic, Ivory Coast striker Elie Wai was arrested by French police less than two weeks before the start of the 2026 World Cup. The detention took place as part of a large-scale investigation into the possible organization of match-fixing. The 23-year-old is suspected of deliberately picking up a yellow card on May 17 while playing for French side Nice in a Ligue 1 match against Metz. The investigation is looking into the potential link between this warning (received at the 35th minute) and suspicious activity at the bookmaker's rates. French law enforcement officials have confirmed they are investigating wider allegations that include organized fraud, sports corruption and money laundering. Wai was reportedly detained and questioned as early as May 29, but was later released without formal charges pending an investigation. This situation caused a significant resonance in the football world, since the fact of the arrest itself did not prevent the player from participating in the main quadrennial tournament. Neither FIFA nor the Ivory Coast Football Federation suspended the player, because the guilt has not yet been proven. As a result, Elie Wai not only went to the tournament, but started his national team's first group match against Ecuador thanks to Amado Diallo's last-minute goal, while Wai himself was on the field for 56 minutes, striking the crossbar. Investigative actions in France continue, and in the near future new details of this high-profile case, which cast an unexpected shadow on the world championship, are expected to appear.