Ivory Coast forward Elye Wahi will miss his country’s second World Cup group match against Germany after being denied a visa to enter Canada, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) confirmed on Thursday.
The federation said the necessary authorisations for his entry into Canadian territory were not obtained, adding that the player would not be able to travel with the national team delegation for Saturday’s match in Toronto. No reason was provided for the visa refusal.
Wahi becomes the second player at the tournament to be denied entry into Canada, following Ghana’s Thomas Partey, who was also unable to travel after his country’s failed appeal against his visa rejection. Partey is currently facing rape charges in Britain, which he denies.
Meanwhile, several media reports on Thursday indicated that Wahi had been questioned by French police over allegations of spot-fixing in a Ligue 1 match while he was playing for Nice. The case centres on a yellow card he received in a 0-0 draw against Metz in mid-May, amid suspicious betting patterns flagged by gambling regulators.
The French Football League (LFP) has since filed a complaint with police over what it described as possible sporting fraud and organised corruption. The Marseille public prosecutor’s office also confirmed that a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player was arrested on May 29, 2026, in connection with an investigation involving organised fraud, sporting corruption, handling stolen goods, and money laundering. Authorities said the player has since been released while investigations continue.
The Ivorian Football Federation expressed support for Wahi, describing him as an important member of the national team. Born in France, he switched allegiance to Ivory Coast in March and featured in their 1-0 Group E victory over Ecuador. Ivory Coast will face Curaçao in their final group-stage match in the United States on June 25.
Elijah Adeyemi
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