Ely Wahi Denied Visa, Misses World Cup Match Against Germany

Ely Wahi, a forward for the Ivory Coast national team, will miss the team's second World Cup match against Germany due to a denied Canadian visa. The Ivorian Football Federation announced on Thursday that Wahi could not obtain the necessary authorization to enter Canadian territory.

This incident marks Wahi as the second World Cup player denied entry to Canada, following Ghana's Thomas Partey, who is facing rape charges in Britain. Wahi is currently under investigation by French police for alleged involvement in spot-fixing activities, which reportedly include attempts to manipulate the outcome of matches for betting purposes.

He was arrested on May 29 as part of an investigation into organized fraud and corruption in sports. Despite these allegations, Wahi was included in Ivory Coast's final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and had previously played 55 minutes in a 1-0 victory against Ecuador.