A Laos international footballer has been arrested in connection with allegations of match-fixing during the 2026 Asean Championship. The arrest follows a referral from the country's football federation (LFF) concerning suspected bribery, illegal gambling, and match manipulation.
Soukphachan Lueanthala, a winger who played for Laos during the tournament and for Salavan United in his homeland, is understood to be accused of helping to organise the alleged operation. This was reportedly on behalf of a betting syndicate believed to be from Vietnam.
Sources close to the Laos team indicate that Lueanthala was arrested after several squad members were questioned by police following their return from a match against Myanmar at the start of August. The LFF confirmed on 7 August that it had opened an investigation before referring the case to the police. The arrest has not been confirmed by the LFF or Lao police, but it has been established that the player is in custody.
The game against Myanmar ended in a 7-2 defeat for Laos, following other significant losses in the group stage: 5-0 to Thailand, 4-0 to Malaysia, and 4-1 to the Philippines.