Ivory Coast & Nice Star Elye Wahi Under Spot-Fixing Investigation
Wahi was arrested on May 29 and later released without charge. He subsequently traveled to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup but was denied entry to Canada for a group stage match against Germany.
Paris, France – Ivory Coast and Nice forward Elye Wahi is the subject of an active French police investigation into alleged spot-fixing related to a yellow card he received in a Ligue 1 match on May 17, 2025.
Investigation Details
The Marseille public prosecutor's office is investigating allegations of organized fraud, organized sports corruption, handling of proceeds of crime, and money laundering. The investigation centers on a yellow card Wahi received in the 35th minute of Nice's match against Metz on May 17, 2025, for a late tackle on Metz defender Sadibou Sane.
Arrest and Release
Wahi was arrested on May 29 after French police received notifications of suspicious betting patterns on him receiving a yellow card. He was released after questioning. He has not been charged and is presumed innocent.
LFP Involvement
The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) confirmed it was alerted to unusual betting volumes on a booking involving Wahi. The LFP stated it is cooperating with authorities and, given the ongoing investigation, will not make further comments. The LFP also reserves the right to initiate disciplinary proceedings pending the investigation.
World Cup Participation and Entry Denial
Wahi started for Ivory Coast in their 1-0 win over Ecuador on June 15, 2025, hitting the crossbar. He was subsequently denied entry to Canada for the team's World Cup group match against Germany on June 21.
The Ivory Coast Football Federation (FIF) stated it had not been officially notified of any judicial or administrative proceedings against Wahi but confirmed that the necessary administrative authorizations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained.
Wahi will remain in the United States pending the team's return. After the match against Germany in Toronto, Ivory Coast is scheduled to play Curacao in Philadelphia.
Background
Wahi, 23, was born near Paris and represented France at youth level before switching allegiance to Ivory Coast in March 2025. He has played for Montpellier, Lens, Marseille, and Eintracht Frankfurt before joining Nice on loan in January 2025. He scored five goals in 14 league appearances for Nice.
The yellow card in question was his fifth of the season, resulting in a suspension for Nice's relegation play-off first leg against Saint-Etienne. Nice drew 0-0 in that leg and won 4-1 in the second leg to remain in Ligue 1.
Related Context
This is the second instance of a World Cup player being denied entry to Canada. Ghana's Thomas Partey missed a game due to a visa refusal related to ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK. FIFA has not commented on whether it was aware of Wahi's arrest or its impact on his eligibility.