Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi has been blocked from crossing the border into Canada, forcing him to miss his national team's 2026 World Cup showdown against Germany on Saturday.
The 23-year-old forward, who had already arrived in the United States for the tournament, was unable to secure the required entry permits to enter Canadian territory.
The denial of entry arrives amid a cloud of controversy surrounding Wahi, who is currently the subject of an investigation by French authorities regarding potential match-fixing.
The inquiry stems from a Ligue 1 fixture played on May 17, where investigators are looking into claims that Wahi intentionally picked up a yellow card to capitalize on unusual betting activity.
While Wahi was apprehended and questioned by police on May 29, he has not been formally charged with any crime at this stage.
Consequently, Wahi will remain stationed at the Ivorian team's base in Philadelphia while his team heads to Toronto without him.
The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) has publicly backed the forward, emphasizing that they have not received official word of any legal proceedings against him and reiterating their trust in the player.
Wahi's absence marks the second time during this tournament that a player has been prohibited from entering Canada; Ghana's Thomas Partey was previously excluded following separate serious allegations of sexual assault in the UK.
Prior to these travel complications, Wahi had appeared in the Ivory Coast's opening 1-0 win over Ecuador.
A FIF statement read: "The Ivorian Football Federation has taken note of the various articles and information published on this Wednesday, June 17, 2026, concerning the Ivorian international Elye Wahi.
"To date, the FIF has not been officially notified of any judicial or administrative proceedings involving him.
"In this particularly delicate period, the FIF extends all its support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him. Elye Wahi remains an important element of the Ivory Coast national team.
"The FIF also informs that the player will not be able to join the delegation's trip to Canada. Indeed, the necessary administrative authorisations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage.
"Elye Wahi will therefore remain in the United States pending the team's return."
