New scandal: Ivory Coast striker banned from entering Canada over match-fixing allegations!

Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi will not be available for his country's upcoming World Cup clash against Germany after failing to secure permission to enter Canada, the national football federation confirmed on Thursday.

According to the FIF, the forward was unable to obtain the required travel clearance in time and therefore will not join the squad for Saturday's match in Toronto. The federation stated that Wahi's absence is due to administrative issues, explaining that “the necessary administrative authorisations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage”.

Wahi featured from the start in Ivory Coast’s opening 1-0 victory over Ecuador in Philadelphia earlier this week. While his teammates travel north for the next fixture, the 23-year-old is expected to remain in the United States until the squad returns.

His travel setback comes amid an ongoing investigation into alleged match-fixing. On Wednesday, the French Professional Football League revealed that betting monitoring partners detected suspicious activity surrounding a Ligue 1 match between Nice and Metz in May. Authorities were alerted after an unusually high volume of international wagers were placed on Wahi receiving a yellow card during the encounter.

The game, played on 17 May and ending in a goalless draw, saw Wahi booked by the referee. The league subsequently forwarded the information to law enforcement agencies, gambling regulators, and the French Football Federation for further examination.

Meanwhile, prosecutors in Marseille confirmed that “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.”

They further stated: “The investigation concerns alleged offecses of organised fraud, organised sports corruption, receiving stolen goods, and money laundering.”

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Although the player was questioned while in custody, he was later released without charges being brought against him. Authorities emphasized that the investigation remains active. Attempts to obtain a response from Wahi's representatives were unsuccessful.

The Ivory Coast Football Federation also stressed that it has not received any official notification regarding legal or administrative action involving the striker. In its statement, the federation reiterated its backing for the player, saying: “During this particularly delicate period, the FIF offers its full support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him. Elye Wahi remains an important member of the Côte d’Ivoire national team.”