Ivory Coast Forward Elye Wahi Turned Away From Canada Before Germany World Cup Match

Ivory Coast forward Elye Wahi has been refused entry to Canada and will not be available for his country's World Cup group-stage meeting with Germany on Saturday.

The 23-year-old Nice attacker was arrested in France recently as part of a continuing inquiry into suspected spot-fixing in Ligue 1. He is alleged to have deliberately received a yellow card during a May fixture against Metz, while investigators are also examining broader claims of betting-related fraud and corruption.

French prosecutors have confirmed the arrest of a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player but have not publicly named him. The Ligue de Football Professionnel later stated that it had been notified of unusually high betting activity connected to a booking involving Wahi.

The Ivorian Football Federation said it had not received formal notice of any legal proceedings, but confirmed that the clearance needed for Wahi to enter Canada could not be obtained. The player will stay in the United States while the squad carries on with its tournament schedule.

Wahi had already appeared in Ivory Coast's victory over Ecuador earlier in the competition and was expected to play a significant part going forward. He is now the second player at the tournament blocked from entering Canada, after Ghana's Thomas Partey was also refused entry over separate legal matters.