Ivory Coast's Wahi Barred From Canada World Cup Match
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- Elye Wahi was denied entry to Canada by immigration authorities, preventing him from joining Ivory Coast's squad for Saturday's World Cup group-stage match against Germany in Toronto, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) confirmed Thursday.
- The FIF said the necessary administrative authorizations for Wahi's entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained and that Wahi, who started in the 1-0 win over Ecuador in Philadelphia on Monday, will remain in the United States pending the team's return.
- The French soccer league (LFP) flagged suspicious betting activity to police and gambling authorities after an "unusual amount of bets" were placed internationally on Wahi receiving a yellow card during Nice's 0-0 home draw against Metz on May 17, the final Ligue 1 round.
- The Marseille prosecutor's office confirmed to the AP that a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player — matching Wahi's profile — was arrested on May 29, 2026, as part of an investigation into alleged organized fraud, organized sports corruption, receiving stolen goods, and money laundering; the player was released without charge.
- Wahi, on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt, scored nine goals in 18 games for Nice and netted twice in a 4-1 promotion-relegation playoff win over Saint-Etienne less than two weeks after the flagged match.
- The FIF said it has not been officially notified of any judicial or administrative proceedings against Wahi but offered "full support" and called him "an important member" of the national team.
Why it matters: Ivory Coast lose a starting forward for a key World Cup group match against Germany because a Canadian entry denial — tied to an active French criminal probe into match-manipulation — intersects with the tournament; the Marseille prosecutor's confirmation that a Ligue 1 player was arrested on May 29 on fraud and sports-corruption charges elevates this from a betting irregularity to a formal criminal matter still under investigation.
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