By Samuel Akpan
Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi has been ruled out of his side’s second World Cup match against Germany after Canadian authorities denied him a visa, dealing a fresh blow to the Elephants just days before Saturday’s clash in Toronto.
The Ivorian Football Federation confirmed on Thursday that the necessary administrative approvals for Wahi’s entry into Canada had not been granted.
As a result, the 23-year-old forward will not travel with the squad to North America for the Group-stage fixture.
Wahi becomes the second player at the 2026 World Cup to be denied entry into Canada.
Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey was previously barred while facing separate legal issues in Britain.
The setback comes at a difficult time for Wahi, who is already under investigation in France over alleged spot-fixing.
He was arrested by French police in May as part of a probe into suspicious betting activity surrounding a Ligue 1 match.
According to reports, authorities are examining claims that Wahi deliberately sought to receive a yellow card during Nice’s game against Metz on May 17.
Betting patterns linked to the card have raised concerns among investigators.
Spot-fixing refers to the manipulation of specific events within a match, such as bookings or corners, for betting purposes rather than influencing the overall result.
The Marseille public prosecutor’s office confirmed that a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player was arrested on May 29 in connection with allegations of organised fraud, sports corruption, handling criminal proceeds and money laundering. Wahi was questioned and later released while the investigation continues.
Officials stressed that the player is not part of the French national team competing at the World Cup.
The probe remains active, with further inquiries ongoing into the alleged activities.
On Wednesday, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) acknowledged it is also examining the matter.
However, the league said it has not initiated any disciplinary proceedings at this stage due to the ongoing police investigation and confidentiality requirements.
The LFP stated it remains committed to protecting the integrity of French football and will take appropriate action if the allegations are substantiated.
It reserved the right to act depending on how the case develops.
Wahi’s absence is a significant loss for Ivory Coast, who will face a strong Germany side without one of their key attacking options.
The forward had been expected to play a major role for the Elephants at the tournament.
Persecondnews reports that Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey was ruled out of his country’s opening 2026 World Cup match against Panama after Canadian authorities denied him entry, citing his ongoing criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom.
The 33-year-old, who plays for Villarreal, was charged in July 2025 with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations from three women between 2021 and 2022.
He pleaded not guilty to those charges in September 2025.
Despite the serious allegations, Ghana included Partey in their squad for the 2026 World Cup.
However, his participation was thrown into doubt when Canadian immigration officials refused his visa application ahead of the team’s Group-stage opener in Toronto.
Ghana’s government appealed the decision to a federal court in Ottawa, seeking special permission for Partey to enter Canada briefly for the match.
The court rejected the appeal, ruling that there was no serious issue with the original visa refusal and noting that Partey had failed to disclose the criminal charges on his application.
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