Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi has been cleared to travel to Canada for his country’s World Cup match against Germany despite an ongoing investigation into alleged betting-related offences.
The Ivorian Football Federation confirmed on Friday that the required authorisations had been secured after initially indicating that the 23-year-old would be unable to travel for the fixture in Toronto.
Wahi is expected to be available when the Elephants face Germany on Saturday in their second match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The development comes amid an investigation in France into alleged spot-fixing activities involving the forward.
ccording to reports, French police arrested Wahi in May as part of an ongoing probe linked to suspicious betting activity.
The French Professional Football League said on Wednesday that an “unusual amount of bets” had been placed internationally on Wahi receiving a yellow card during a match on May 17 while playing for OGC Nice.
The league said betting-monitoring partners alerted authorities to suspicious activity surrounding Nice’s home game against Metz, which ended in a goalless draw and saw Wahi booked. The matter was subsequently referred to police, gambling regulators and the French Football Federation.
When asked whether Wahi had been questioned, 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 prosecutor’s office added that “the investigation concerns alleged offences of organised fraud, organised sports corruption, receiving stolen goods, and money laundering.”
According to the office, the player was questioned while in custody and later released without being detained. Representatives of Wahi did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Ivorian Football Federation said it had not been formally informed “of any judicial or administrative proceedings” involving the striker.
The federation also stated that it “offers its full support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him.”
It added: “Elye Wahi remains an important member of the Ivory Coast national team.” Wahi started Ivory Coast’s opening World Cup match, a 1-0 victory over Ecuador in Philadelphia on Monday.
The forward joined OGC Nice on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt in January and scored nine goals in 18 appearances in all competitions. He also played a key role in helping Nice reach the French Cup final.
After the Ligue 1 season ended on May 17, Wahi scored twice within two weeks to help Nice secure top-flight survival with a 4-1 victory over AS Saint-Étienne in the second leg of the promotion-relegation playoffs.
His availability is a significant boost for Ivory Coast as they prepare for a crucial Group E encounter against Germany.
