Ivory Coast forward Elye Wahi will miss his country’s second World Cup group game against Germany after he was denied entry into Canada due to visa complications, the Ivorian Football Federation has confirmed.
The federation explained that the striker failed to secure the required administrative authorisations to enter Canadian territory, meaning he will not be able to travel with the squad for Saturday’s fixture in Toronto.
“The administrative authorisations necessary for his entry into Canadian territory have not been obtained at this stage,” the federation said, adding that Wahi would not be able to “travel with the delegation to Canada” for the match.
His absence is another setback for Ivory Coast at the tournament, and he becomes the second player to be blocked from entering Canada after Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey.
Wahi, 23, has also faced off-field scrutiny in recent months following reports in France linking him to an ongoing investigation into alleged spot-fixing.
In May, French police reportedly arrested him as part of a probe into claims that he deliberately attempted to receive a yellow card during a Ligue 1 match between Nice and Metz on May 17.
Investigators are reportedly examining suspicious betting patterns connected to wagers placed on Wahi being booked during the game.
Spot-fixing involves manipulating specific moments in a match for betting gains rather than affecting the overall result.
A spokesperson for the Marseille public prosecutor’s office confirmed the case, saying: “We can confirm that a 23-year-old football player, competing in Ligue 1, was arrested on May 29 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.
“He was released after he was interviewed in police custody. The investigations remain ongoing. The football player is not a member of the French selection taking part in the World Cup.”
Wahi was later released after questioning, and the investigation is still ongoing.
