Ivory Coast star to miss Germany clash after being denied entry to Canada
| Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images |
Ivory Coast will be without Elye Wahi when they face Germany in their second group-stage match at the World Cup in Toronto, Canada, on Saturday.
The Ivorian Football Federation announced on Thursday that the striker will not be available for Saturday’s game, as “the necessary administrative authorisations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage”.
Wahi, who spent the second half of last season on loan at OGC Nice from Eintracht Frankfurt, is currently under investigation in France over suspected match-fixing.
According to AP, the French football authorities stated on Wednesday that an “unusual amount of bets” were placed internationally on the Ivory Coast forward receiving a yellow card during a Ligue 1 match in May.
Addressing the situation, the Ivorian Football Federation said:
"The Ivorian Football Federation has taken note of various articles and reports published on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, concerning Ivorian international Elye Wahi.
"As of today, the FIF has not been officially notified of any legal or administrative proceedings involving him.
“In this particularly sensitive period, the FIF expresses its full support for the player and reaffirms its confidence in him. Elye Wahi remains an important member of the Côte d’Ivoire national team.”
Wahi started and played 56 minutes in Ivory Coast’s opening 1-0 win over Ecuador at the World Cup.
