Ivory Coast Striker Elye Wahi Denied Canada Entry For Germany Clash

Ivory Coast have suffered a significant setback ahead of their pivotal FIFA World Cup Group E clash against Germany after striker Elye Wahi was denied entry into Canada, where the match is scheduled to take place on Saturday.

According to a report from BBC Sport, the 23-year-old Nice forward, who started Ivory Coast's dramatic 1-0 victory over Ecuador in their tournament opener, has been unable to secure the administrative authorisations required to enter Canadian territory and will remain in the United States while the national team travels to Toronto.

Wahi's absence comes amid an ongoing investigation in France concerning alleged spot-fixing in Ligue 1. The forward is accused of deliberately receiving a yellow card during Nice's league match against Metz in May, an incident that reportedly attracted an unusually high volume of betting activity.

Spot-fixing involves the deliberate manipulation of specific events within a match, such as bookings or corners, rather than the final result, for the purpose of influencing betting markets.

A statement to the Athletic issued by the public prosecutor's office in Marseille confirmed that a 23-year-old Ligue 1 footballer had been arrested as part of an investigation into allegations of organised fraud, organised sports corruption, handling the proceeds of crime and money laundering.

While the player was not named in the statement, French football authorities later confirmed that Wahi was the subject of an alert relating to suspicious betting activity.

The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) revealed on Wednesday that it had been notified of "an unusually high volume of bets placed on a warning involving the player Elye Wahi."

According to prosecutors, Wahi was released after being interviewed in police custody, and investigations remain ongoing. No formal charges have been announced.

The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) moved quickly to clarify its position, stressing that it has not received any official notification of legal proceedings involving the striker.

"The Ivorian Football Federation has taken note of the various articles and information published on this Wednesday, June 17, 2026, concerning the Ivorian international Elye Wahi," the federation said in a statement as quoted by BBC Sport.

"To date, the FIF has not been officially notified of any judicial or administrative proceedings involving him."

The federation also reiterated its support for the player and underlined his importance to Emerse Fae's squad.

"In this particularly delicate period, the FIF extends all its support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him. Elye Wahi remains an important element of the Ivory Coast national team."

However, the federation confirmed that the striker would not be travelling to Canada.

"The FIF also informs that the player will not be able to join the delegation's trip to Canada. Indeed, the necessary administrative authorisations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage.

"Elye Wahi will therefore remain in the United States pending the team's return."

The timing is not ideal for Ivory Coast, who face Germany in a match that could significantly affect qualification from Group E. The Elephants began their campaign with a dramatic victory over Ecuador thanks to Amad Diallo's late winner, while Germany produced the most emphatic result of the tournament so far by thrashing Curaçao 7-1.

Wahi's absence removes an important attacking option from Fae's squad. The striker was expected to play a key role against Germany after leading the line in the opening fixture and has been one of Ivory Coast's most highly regarded attacking talents recently.

The investigation stems from Nice's Ligue 1 fixture against Metz, where Wahi received a yellow card that resulted in a suspension for the first leg of the club's relegation play-off against Saint-Etienne. He later returned for the second leg and scored twice in a 4-1 victory that preserved Nice's top-flight status.

The LFP stated that it has not opened disciplinary proceedings at this stage due to the ongoing police investigation but reserved the right to do so depending on future developments.

The LFP said: "At this stage, and given the ongoing investigation and the confidentiality requirements imposed by the police authorities, the LFP will not make any further comments and has not initiated disciplinary proceedings. However, it reserves the right to do so depending on the progress of the investigation.

"The LFP reiterates that it remains fully committed to ensuring the integrity of its competitions and that it will act with the utmost firmness against any behaviour that could compromise it."

As matters stand, Wahi remains available for Ivory Coast's final group match against Curaçao in Philadelphia next week, though his participation could depend on the progression of the investigation and any further administrative decisions.