Ivory Coast Forward Denied Visa To Enter Canada For FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Against Germany

Last Updated:June 18, 2026, 17:28 IST

Ivory Coast forward Elye Wahi will miss the World Cup match vs Germany in Toronto after Canada denied his visa, following a similar case involving Ghana player Thomas Partey

Forward Elye Wahi will miss Ivory Coast’s second World Cup match against Germany after he was denied a visa to enter Canada, the Ivorian federation said on Thursday.

“The administrative authorisations necessary for his entry into Canadian territory have not been obtained at this stage," the Ivorian federation (FIF) said, adding that he would not be able to “travel with the delegation to Canada" for Saturday’s match in Toronto.

Not The First!

Wahi is the second FIFA World Cup 2026 player to be denied entry into Canada, after Ghana’s Thomas Partey, who is facing rape charges in Britain.

Wahi started in attack for Ivory Coast in its 1-0 win over Ecuador in its opening game in Philadelphia on Monday. He will remain in the United States until the team returns, the federation said.

The French soccer league said on Wednesday that an “unusual amount of bets" were placed internationally on Wahi receiving a yellow card during a Ligue 1 game against Nice in May.

The league was alerted by partners monitoring betting markets to suspicious activity at international level concerning Nice’s home game against Metz on May 17, which ended 0-0 and in which Wahi was shown a yellow card.

The French league said it passed this information to the relevant police and gambling authorities, as well as to the French Football Federation.

Asked whether Wahi had been questioned by police, the Marseille prosecutor’s office told the Associated Press that “a 23-year-old professional football player, competing in France’s Ligue 1 championship, was arrested on May 29, 2026, as part of their investigation."

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

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

The Ivory Coast Football Federation (FIF) said it has not been officially notified “of any judicial or administrative proceedings" concerning Wahi.

“During this particularly delicate period, the FIF offers its full support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him," it said. “Elye Wahi remains an important member of the Ivory Coast national team."

May 17 was the final round of the Ligue 1 season. Less than two weeks later, Wahi helped 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.

The 23-year-old Wahi had joined Nice on loan from German club Eintracht Frankfurt in January and scored 9 goals in 18 games overall, helping Nice reach the French Cup final.

(With inputs from Agencies)

About the Author

Ritayan Basu

Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for over a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes cricket conten...Read More

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