Ivory Coast forward Elye Wahi will miss his country’s second World Cup group match against Germany after he was denied entry into Canada due to visa complications, the Ivorian Football Federation has confirmed
The federation said the striker was unable to obtain the necessary administrative approval required to enter Canadian territory, meaning he will not travel with the squad for Saturday’s match in Toronto.
“The administrative authorisations necessary for his entry into Canadian territory have not been obtained at this stage,” the Ivorian federation said, adding that he would not be able to “travel with the delegation to Canada” for the fixture.
Wahi’s absence adds to growing concerns around player availability at the tournament, as he becomes the second footballer to be denied entry into Canada after Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey.
The 23-year-old forward has also been under scrutiny in recent months following reports in France linking him to an ongoing investigation into alleged spot-fixing.
In May, French police reportedly arrested Wahi as part of a probe into claims that he deliberately sought to receive a yellow card during a Ligue 1 match between Nice and Metz on May 17.
Authorities are said to be reviewing suspicious betting patterns involving wagers placed on Wahi receiving a booking during the game.
Spot-fixing refers to the manipulation of specific incidents within a match for betting purposes, rather than influencing the final result.
A spokesperson for the Marseille public prosecutor’s office previously confirmed the investigation, saying: “We can confirm that a 23-year-old football player, competing in France’s Ligue 1, was arrested on May 29 as part of an investigation opened by the Marseille public prosecutor’s office into allegations of organised fraud, organised sports corruption, handling of proceeds of crime and money laundering.
“He was released after he was interviewed in police custody. The investigations remain ongoing. The football player is not a member of the French selection taking part in the World Cup.”
Wahi was later released after questioning, while investigations into the allegations are still ongoing.
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