Ivory Coast have suffered a setback ahead of their World Cup group-stage match against Germany after forward Elye Wahi was denied entry to Canada.
The 23-year-old striker, who started Ivory Coast’s opening win over Ecuador, was unable to obtain the necessary authorisation to enter Canada, where Saturday’s match against Germany will be played in Toronto.
This development comes amid an ongoing investigation in France into alleged spot-fixing. Wahi was reportedly arrested last month over accusations that he deliberately received a yellow card during Nice’s Ligue 1 match against Metz in May. Spot-fixing involves manipulating specific incidents within a game for betting-related gain.
Wahi has become the second player at the 2026 World Cup to be barred from entering Canada, following Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, who was previously denied a visa due to ongoing legal proceedings in the United Kingdom.
While confirming Wahi’s absence, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) stated that it had not received any official notification regarding judicial or administrative proceedings against the player. The federation also reiterated its support for the striker, describing him as an important member of the national team.
A statement from the Marseille Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that a 23-year-old Ligue 1 footballer had been arrested as part of an investigation into allegations including organised fraud, sports corruption and money laundering. However, the player was later released after questioning, and the investigation remains ongoing.
France’s Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) said it had been alerted to an unusually high volume of bets related to a booking involving Wahi and is monitoring the situation while awaiting the outcome of the investigation.
Wahi will remain in the United States while Ivory Coast travel to Canada. The Elephants are scheduled to face Curaçao in Philadelphia next week following their meeting with Germany.
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