ABIDJAN: Ivory Coast forward Elye Wahi has been authorised to enter Canada for his country’s second World Cup match against Germany, after initially being denied a visa over reported spot-fixing allegations, a source close to the player said on Thursday.

The Ivorian football federation (FIF) had earlier announced Wahi would miss Saturday’s game in Toronto.

The FIF gave no reason for his initial visa refusal.

But later on Thursday a source told AFP that Canada had delayed Wahi’s visa authorisation after requesting further information regarding his legal situation, before rubber-stamping his entry.

Several media reported that Wahi had been questioned by French prosecutors over suspicions of spot-fixing in a Ligue 1 match while he was playing for Nice.

The case revolves around a yellow card which Wahi picked up in a 0-0 draw with Metz on the final day of the season in mid-May, after betting authorities had noticed an unusual volume of bets being placed on the 23-year-old receiving a yellow card.

The French football league (LFP) announced on Wednesday that it had lodged a complaint to police for “facts which could constitute sporting fraud and organised corruption”.

The public prosecutor’s office in Marseille confirmed to AFP that “a 23-year-old professional footballer, playing in the Ligue 1 championship, was arrested on May 29, 2026 in relation to an ongoing investigation”.

That investigation rela­ted to “organised fra­ud, organised sporting corruption, receiving stolen goods and money laundering”.

The public prosecutor said that the player had been released but that their investigations were ongoing.

The FIF pledged its support for Wahi, describing him as “an important element for the Ivory Coast national team”.

Wahi’s lawyer, Marie Dose, said earlier the player had been questioned “for a few hours” last month but was subsequently released.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2026