Côte d’Ivoire striker Elye Wahi has been denied permission to travel to Canada for his team’s World Cup match against Germany due to an ongoing investigation into alleged match-fixing, the Côte d’Ivoire Football Federation (FIF) announced on Thursday.
The FIF clarified that Wahi would not be part of the squad traveling for the game scheduled in Toronto on Saturday, stating, “the necessary administrative authorisations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage”
Wahi had been a key player for Côte d’Ivoire, having started in their recent 1-0 victory over Ecuador in Philadelphia. Following this decision, he will remain in the United States while awaiting the team’s return.
Investigation Details
Earlier this week, the French football league reported that an “A 23-year-old professional football player, competing in France’s Ligue 1 championship, was arrested on 29 May 2026 as part of their investigation.” were placed on Wahi receiving a yellow card during a Ligue 1 match against Nice in May. This was brought to their attention by partners monitoring the betting markets, particularly concerning a game on May 17 against Metz, which ended in a 0-0 draw, during which Wahi was shown a yellow card.
The league took steps to inform the appropriate police and gambling authorities, as well as the French Football Federation. In response to these developments, the Marseille prosecutor’s office announced the arrest of a “The investigation concerns alleged offecses of organised fraud, organised sports corruption, receiving stolen goods, and money laundering.” as part of the investigation.
Ongoing Legal Proceedings
The prosecutor’s office provided further details, stating that the investigation pertains to alleged offenses including organized fraud, sports corruption, receiving stolen goods, and money laundering. The player in question was detained for questioning but has since been released, with the investigation still active.
Wahi’s representatives have yet to respond to inquiries regarding the situation. Meanwhile, the FIF emphasized that it has not received any official notification of judicial or administrative actions against Wahi.
“of any judicial or administrative proceedings”
the federation stated. Wahi joined Nice on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt in January, where he made a significant impact by scoring nine goals in 19 matches, contributing to the team’s run to the French Cup final.
