The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being co-hosted across North America, which sounds like a logistical dream until you remember that crossing from the US into Canada involves actual border enforcement. Elye Wahi, a 23-year-old striker for OGC Nice and the Ivory Coast national team, just learned that lesson the hard way.
Wahi has been denied entry into Canada ahead of Ivory Coast’s Group Stage match against Germany, scheduled for June 21, 2026. The reason: an ongoing French investigation into alleged match-fixing and sports corruption that has trailed him from Ligue 1 to the biggest tournament in world football.
A yellow card that triggered an investigation
On May 17, 2026, Wahi received a yellow card during a match against Metz. An unusual volume of international bets were placed specifically on the outcome of that yellow card incident. That pattern caught the attention of French authorities.
On May 29, Wahi was arrested in France as part of the resulting investigation into match-fixing and sports corruption. He was not charged, which is an important distinction. Being arrested and being convicted are two very different things, separated by a chasm of due process.
