Wahi barred from Canada as probe clouds Ivory Coast-Germany

Wahi barred – Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi will not travel to Canada for the World Cup match against Germany in Toronto because the federation says necessary entry authorizations could not be obtained while he is under investigation in France. The probe follows an unusual

When Ivory Coast’s squad moved on to the World Cup day ahead of Germany in Toronto. Elye Wahi’s place on the team plane was already gone. The Ivory Coast soccer federation confirmed on Thursday that the striker. under investigation for alleged betting-related offences in France. has not been authorized to travel to Canada for the match.

Ivory Coast will face Germany on Saturday in Toronto. But Wahi will remain in the United States pending the team’s return, the federation said. The federation’s explanation was blunt: “the necessary administrative authorizations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage.”.

Wahi is no stranger to big moments for his country. He started in attack as Ivory Coast opened their World Cup campaign with a 1-0 win over Ecuador in Philadelphia on Monday. Now, with Germany next, his absence turns a headline match into something more complicated than tactics and team selection.

The investigation pulling at Wahi’s name traces back to a Ligue 1 weekend in May. The French soccer league said on Wednesday that an “unusual amount of bets” were placed internationally on him receiving a yellow card during a Ligue 1 game with Nice in May. The league said it was alerted by partners monitoring betting markets about suspicious international betting activity connected to Nice’s home match against Metz on May 17. which finished 0-0. In that game, Wahi was shown a yellow card.

The French league said it passed the information to relevant police and gambling authorities. as well as the French Football Federation. The chain of scrutiny then widened. The Marseille prosecutor’s office told the Associated Press that a 23-year-old professional football player in France’s Ligue 1 was arrested on May 29. 2026. as part of the investigation.

The office said the investigation concerns alleged offenses of organized fraud, organized sports corruption, receiving stolen goods, and money laundering. It added that the player was questioned while in police custody and was released without being detained, and that the investigation is ongoing.

Wahi’s representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In parallel, Ivory Coast moved to separate national-team business from the legal process. The Ivory Coast Football Federation said it has not been officially notified “of any judicial or administrative proceedings” concerning Wahi. During what it called “this particularly delicate period. ” it said it offers its full support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him. adding that Wahi “remains an important member of the Ivory Coast national team.”.

The timing makes the situation sharper. May 17 was the last round of the Ligue 1 season. Less than two weeks later, Wahi helped a struggling Nice stay in Ligue 1 when he scored twice in a 4-1 win over Saint-Etienne in the second leg of their promotion-relegation playoff.

Now he finds himself on the other side of the Atlantic from the team he started for just days earlier—waiting in the United States while Ivory Coast prepares for a World Cup showdown against Germany in Toronto.

Elye Wahi Ivory Coast Germany World Cup match Canada Toronto match fixing probe betting investigation Ligue 1 Nice Metz yellow card Marseille prosecutor organized sports corruption