World Cup Scandal: Wahi Barred From Canada Entry After Spot-Fixing Arrest

​PHILADELPHIA — The Ivory Coast’s FIFA World Cup campaign has been plunged into controversy after star forward Elye Wahi was denied entry into Canada just weeks after being arrested by French anti-corruption police over spot-fixing allegations.

​The 23-year-old Eintracht Frankfurt striker, currently on loan at French Ligue 1 side OGC Nice, will not travel with Les Éléphants to Toronto for Saturday’s crucial Group E clash against Germany. Instead, he is set to remain isolated at the team’s operational headquarters in Philadelphia while his teammates cross the border.

​The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) confirmed the administrative lockout in a formal statement on Thursday, revealing that the “necessary administrative authorisations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage.”

​Suspicious Betting Patterns Under Scrutiny

​The visa refusal is directly tied to an active, high-profile investigation spearheaded by the Marseille public prosecutor’s office. Authorities are looking into whether Wahi deliberately earned a yellow card during Nice’s Ligue 1 encounter against Metz on May 17.

​According to reports from The Athletic, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) flagged suspicious, high-volume betting patterns focused specifically on Wahi receiving a booking during that game. The forward was shown a yellow card in the 35th minute following a late challenge on Metz defender Sadibou Sané. The resulting caution triggered an automatic suspension for Nice’s subsequent relegation/promotion playoff match against Saint-Étienne.

​Wahi returned for the second leg of that tie, scoring twice to help Nice secure their top-flight status. However, just hours later on May 29, he was arrested by French judicial police and questioned before being released without charge. The Marseille public prosecutor’s office confirmed that the investigation into “organised fraud” remains open and active.

​A Campaign in Jeopardy

​The border lockout comes at a terrible time for the Ivory Coast national team. Wahi, who recently switched his senior international allegiance from France to the West African nation earlier this year, started in the team’s 1-0 opening group-stage victory against Ecuador on Sunday night. He put in a lively 56-minute performance in Philadelphia, hitting the crossbar before being substituted.

​With Wahi locked out of Canada, head coach Emerse Faé faces a tactical headache ahead of the showdown with Germany.

​Wahi is now the second high-profile player to be barred from entering Canada during this tournament cycle due to legal entanglements. Earlier this week, Ghana international Thomas Partey was refused entry into Canadian territory ahead of his country’s 1-0 win over Panama in Toronto, owing to ongoing legal investigations in the United Kingdom.

ADVERTISEMENT

​While legal representatives and federation officials continue to review the administrative block, the young striker remains stranded in Pennsylvania, leaving his World Cup future under a cloud of legal and professional uncertainty.