Ivory Coast's Elye Wahi Denied Entry to Canada
Elye Wahi, the Ivory Coast international footballer, has been denied entry to Canada for his nation's World Cup group stage match against Germany scheduled for Saturday.
The Nice forward, aged 23, who started in the Ivory Coast's opening World Cup victory over Ecuador, was reportedly arrested last month in connection with an alleged spot-fixing investigation in France's Ligue 1.
Wahi has been accused of deliberately receiving a yellow card during a Ligue 1 match between Nice and Metz in May. Spot-fixing refers to the act of intentionally influencing specific moments within a sporting event to enable betting profits.
A statement from the public prosecutor's office in Marseille confirmed that a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player was arrested as part of an ongoing investigation, though the player was not named explicitly.
On Wednesday, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) announced it had been alerted to "an unusually high volume of bets placed on a warning involving the player Elye Wahi."
The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) stated that it had not been officially informed of any judicial or administrative proceedings against Wahi but confirmed that he was unable to obtain authorization to enter Canada.
"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 FIF said in a statement.
"To date, the FIF has not been officially notified of any judicial or administrative proceedings involving him.
"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.
"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."
Following the match against Germany in Toronto, the Ivory Coast is scheduled to face Curacao in Philadelphia next Thursday.
The Marseille public prosecutor's office indicated that the arrest was made "as part of an investigation opened by the Marseille public prosecutor's office into allegations of organised fraud, organised sports corruption, handling of proceeds of crime and money laundering." The player was released after being interviewed in police custody, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Wahi's yellow card in the match against Metz was his fifth booking of the Ligue 1 season, resulting in a suspension for the first leg of Nice's relegation play-off against Saint-Etienne on 26 May. That match ended in a 0-0 draw, but Wahi returned for the second leg, scoring twice in a 4-1 victory that secured Nice's place in Ligue 1.
has reached out to Wahi's representatives and FIFA for comment.
The LFP stated:
"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."
Wahi is the second World Cup player to be denied entry to Canada. Ghana's Thomas Partey was refused a visa due to ongoing criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom.
Former Arsenal midfielder Partey pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault related to allegations from four women between 2020 and 2022. He is scheduled to stand trial next year.
Partey provided incorrect information to Canadian officials by stating he had never been arrested or charged with a crime, which led to his missing Ghana's World Cup victory over Panama.
The Ghanaian government sought permission for Partey to enter Canada briefly to participate in the game, but this request was denied by a federal court in Ottawa.
