Ivory Coast Striker Elye Wahi Ruled Out Of Germany Clash Amid Ongoing Spot-Fixing Investigation

• Elye Wahi has not been authorized to travel to Canada for Ivory Coast’s World Cup match against Germany.
• The striker is being investigated in France over suspected spot-fixing linked to unusual betting activity.
• Ivory Coast have reaffirmed their support for Wahi and insist they have not been officially notified of any proceedings.

Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi will miss Saturday’s World Cup clash against Germany after failing to obtain the necessary authorization to enter Canada, the Ivorian Football Federation has confirmed.

Wahi, who started and helped Ivory Coast secure a 1-0 win over Ecuador in their opening Group stage match in Philadelphia, will remain in the United States while his teammates travel to Toronto for their second fixture of the tournament.

The federation announced on Thursday that the 23-year-old had not been cleared to enter Canadian territory and would therefore be unavailable for the match against Germany.

“The necessary administrative authorizations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage,” the federation said in a statement.

The development comes amid an ongoing investigation in France into suspected spot-fixing involving the forward.

The French Professional Football League revealed on Wednesday that monitoring systems detected an unusual volume of international betting activity related to Wahi receiving a yellow card during Nice’s Ligue 1 match against Metz on May 17.

The league said the suspicious betting patterns were reported by integrity partners and subsequently referred to police authorities, gambling regulators and the French Football Federation for further investigation.

According to the Marseille prosecutor’s office, a 23-year-old professional footballer competing in Ligue 1 was arrested on May 29 as part of an investigation into alleged organized fraud, organized sports corruption, receiving stolen goods and money laundering.

The office confirmed the player was questioned while in police custody before being released without detention. Authorities added that the investigation remains ongoing.

Wahi’s representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Despite the investigation, the Ivory Coast Football Federation stressed it has not received official notification regarding any judicial or administrative proceedings involving the player and reiterated its support.

“During this particularly delicate period, the FIF offers its full support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him,” the federation said.

“Elye Wahi remains an important member of the Ivory Coast national team.”

Wahi enjoyed a productive second half of the club season after joining Nice on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt in January. The striker scored nine goals in 18 appearances and helped Nice reach the French Cup final.

He also played a decisive role in helping the club avoid relegation, scoring twice in a 4-1 victory over Saint-Etienne in the second leg of the promotion-relegation playoff less than two weeks after the match that is now under investigation.

Spot-fixing refers to the manipulation of a specific event within a match, often for betting purposes, without necessarily affecting the final result.

Ivory Coast will now prepare for their meeting with Germany without one of their key attacking players as they look to build on their opening victory and strengthen their chances of reaching the knockout stage.