Just days after helping Côte d’Ivoire launch their World Cup campaign with victory, Elye Wahi has become the focus of a growing international controversy after Canadian authorities refused him entry ahead of the Elephants’ second group-stage match.
The decision means the 23-year-old striker will miss Saturday’s Group E showdown against Germany despite having featured prominently in Côte d’Ivoire’s opening 1-0 win over Ecuador.
The denial stems from an ongoing French investigation into suspicious betting patterns linked to a yellow card Wahi received during Nice’s Ligue 1 match against Metz on May 17.
French football authorities became aware of the matter after betting surveillance partners detected unusually high wagering activity predicting that Wahi would receive a booking during the game. The alert triggered a broader inquiry involving police, gambling regulators, and football authorities.
Investigators are examining whether the caution was intentionally engineered as part of a spot-fixing scheme, although no formal charges have been announced and the player has not been sanctioned by football authorities.
French prosecutors confirmed that a professional footballer was questioned in police custody on May 29 as part of the investigation before being released pending further inquiries.
The developing case has now produced consequences beyond France’s borders.
Because the World Cup is being staged across multiple host nations, players must satisfy separate immigration and entry requirements. Canadian authorities declined to grant Wahi the authorizations required for travel into the country, effectively preventing him from joining his teammates for the Germany fixture.
The Ivorian Football Federation moved quickly to defend the player, emphasizing that it had not been officially informed of any judicial proceedings or restrictions affecting his eligibility to represent the national team.
The federation also reaffirmed its support for Wahi, who only recently switched international allegiance from France to Côte d’Ivoire and has quickly become one of the country’s most talked-about young forwards.
His absence is a significant blow for a team hoping to build on a winning start against Ecuador. Germany enters the match as one of the tournament favourites, making squad depth and attacking efficiency critical for the African side.
For Wahi personally, the situation represents a dramatic twist in what had appeared to be a breakthrough moment in his international career. After earning his place in Côte d’Ivoire’s World Cup squad and helping secure a vital opening victory, he now finds himself at the centre of an investigation attracting attention across Europe and North America.
Whether the inquiry ultimately leads to disciplinary action remains unclear. What is certain, however, is that one of Côte d’Ivoire’s most promising attackers will be watching from afar when the Elephants face Germany in a match that could shape the trajectory of their World Cup campaign.
For now, the footballing questions surrounding Wahi’s future remain unanswered, but the immediate consequence is clear: Côte d’Ivoire must navigate one of its biggest matches of the tournament without him.