World Cup drama as Canada refuses visa for Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi

Ivory Coast have been dealt a major setback ahead of their second Group E match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after striker Elye Wahi was reportedly denied a visa to enter Canada, ruling him out of the team’s highly anticipated clash against Germany.

According to reports by The Athletic, Canadian immigration authorities refused Wahi entry because of an ongoing investigation linked to alleged match-fixing activities.

The report indicated that the circumstances surrounding the investigation conflict with Canada’s immigration regulations, preventing the forward from travelling to the country for the tournament fixture.

The Elephants are scheduled to face Germany at Toronto Stadium in a match that could prove decisive in determining qualification from Group E. Wahi’s absence is expected to be a significant blow for the West African side as they seek to build on their positive start to the competition.

Ivory Coast opened their World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ecuador, securing three valuable points and boosting their chances of advancing to the knockout stages. The team had hoped to maintain momentum against one of the tournament favourites, but will now have to do so without one of their attacking options.

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The development follows a similar controversy involving Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey, who was recently denied entry into Canada over allegations of sexual assault. Partey, formerly of Arsenal, was consequently unavailable for Ghana’s opening World Cup fixture against Panama.

Despite Partey’s absence, Ghana secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Panama, earning an important win in their group campaign.

The visa-related decisions have sparked discussions about the impact of host-country immigration policies on international sporting events, particularly when players are subjects of ongoing legal or disciplinary investigations but have not been convicted of any offence.

For Ivory Coast, however, the immediate concern remains preparing for a daunting encounter with Germany without Wahi, as they aim to strengthen their position in Group E and move closer to a place in the knockout rounds of the World Cup.