Access Denied: Another African Player Barred from Canada Ahead of Crucial World Cup Clash

Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi has been unable to secure a visa to travel to Canada for his team's upcoming World Cup match against Germany, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) announced on Thursday.

The decision comes as Wahi is under investigation for alleged match-fixing.

The Ivorian squad is set to face Germany in Toronto on Saturday, but Wahi will not be joining them. The federation stated that "the necessary administrative authorisations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage."

Wahi, who started in Ivory Coast's 1-0 opening victory over Ecuador in Philadelphia, will remain in the United States until the team returns, according to the FIF.

The issue stems from an investigation launched by French authorities. On Wednesday, the French soccer league reported that an "unusual amount of bets" were placed internationally on Wahi receiving a yellow card during a Ligue 1 match between Nice and Metz on May 17. The game ended in a 0-0 draw, and Wahi was indeed booked.

The league was alerted to the suspicious betting activity by its monitoring partners and subsequently passed the information to the police, gambling authorities, and the French Football Federation.

The Marseille prosecutor's office confirmed to the Associated Press that "a 23-year-old professional football player, competing in France's Ligue 1 championship, was arrested on May 29, 2026, as part of their investigation."

The office elaborated that "the investigation concerns alleged offenses of organized fraud, organized sports corruption, receiving stolen goods, and money laundering." The player was questioned while in police custody and later released. The investigation is ongoing.

Representatives for Wahi have not yet responded to requests for comment.

The FIF noted that it has not been officially notified "of any judicial or administrative proceedings" involving the player. "During this particularly delicate period, the FIF offers its full support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him," the federation said in a statement. "Elye Wahi remains an important member of the Ivory Coast national team."

Wahi, 23, joined Nice on loan from German club Eintracht Frankfurt in January. He was instrumental in the club's season, scoring nine goals in 18 appearances, including two crucial goals in a 4-1 playoff win over Saint-Etienne that secured Nice's place in Ligue 1. He also helped the team reach the French Cup final.