Ivory Coast's Elye Wahi denied entry to Canada at World Cup amid betting probe

Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi, who is under investigation for alleged betting-related offences, has not been authorized to travel to Canada for his team's next World Cup match against Germany, the Ivorian soccer federation said on Thursday.

Ivory Coast faces Germany on Saturday in Toronto.

The federation said Wahi, who is under investigation in France, will not be able to travel with the squad because "the necessary administrative authorizations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage."

Wahi started in attack for Ivory Coast when it beat Ecuador 1-0 in its opening game in Philadelphia on Monday. He will remain in the United States pending the team's return, 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 with Nice in May. The French league was alerted by partners monitoring betting markets about suspicious betting 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 (LFP) said it passed this information to relevant police and gambling authorities, as well as the French Football Federation.

Asked whether Wahi was 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 "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