Rafael Nogueira
Elye Wahi has been blocked from entering Canada ahead of Ivory Coast‘s World Cup 2026 clash against Germany in Toronto on Saturday, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) confirmed on Thursday. The decision comes a day after reports emerged that the 23-year-old forward had been arrested by French police over suspected match-fixing offences.
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The FIF stated that “the necessary administrative authorisations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage,” leaving Wahi to remain at Ivory Coast‘s base in Philadelphia while the rest of the squad heads north.
Wahi is the subject of an active investigation by French police following suspicious betting patterns flagged by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP). The activity centred on Nice‘s Ligue 1 fixture against Metz on 17 May, which ended 0-0. Notifications related to Wahi receiving a yellow card during the match prompted the inquiry. He was booked in the 35th minute for a tackle on Metz‘s Sadibou Sane, having already fouled Bouna Sarr two minutes prior. That yellow card was his fifth of the season, ruling him out of Nice‘s relegation play-off first leg against Saint-Etienne.
The play-off first leg ended goalless. Wahi returned for the second leg on 29 May and scored twice in a 4-1 win to keep Nice in Ligue 1. Later that same day, anti-corruption officers arrested him. He was released following an interview with police.
Wahi has not been charged with any crime. He travelled to the United States for Ivory Coast‘s World Cup campaign and started their opening 1-0 win against Ecuador on Sunday, playing 55 minutes and hitting the bar before being substituted.
He becomes the second World Cup 2026 player refused entry into Canada. Ghana‘s Thomas Partey, who denies allegations of rape and sexual assault in the UK, was also denied entry ahead of his side’s 1-0 win against Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
The FIF issued a formal statement on the matter:
“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. 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. 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.”
Wahi only switched international allegiance from France, whom he had represented at youth level, to Ivory Coast in March. The forward will remain at the team’s Philadelphia base while his teammates face Germany in Toronto on Saturday. Follow TipsGG for ongoing coverage of World Cup 2026 as this situation develops.