FIFA World Cup 2026: Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi allowed into Canada after visa U-turn
Toronto, June 19
Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi will be permitted to enter Canada for his country's second World Cup match after previously being denied entry, according to a report by The Athletic.
According to the Report, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has said that hosting major international sporting events does not lead to any changes in the country's immigration laws, following concerns linked to Wahi's entry issue ahead of his country's FIFA World Cup 2026 versus Germany.
IRCC told The Athletic, "Canada has been consistent that hosting major events does not change Canada's immigration laws. Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies, while maintaining the safety and security of Canadians as a top priority."
"In exceptional circumstances, Temporary Resident Permits may be granted to a person who is inadmissible or does not meet the requirements to enter or remain temporarily in Canada," it added.
Earlier, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) said that striker Elye Wahi will not be able to travel to Canada for his team's FIFA World Cup opener against Germany on June 21, as his authorisation for visiting the country has not yet been obtained.
The announcement comes just a day after Wahi was linked to an investigation into alleged sports corruption, with French authorities saying that unusual betting patterns were detected around a yellow card that the striker received while representing Nice in the Ligue 1 last month.
Wahi, while not named as a suspect, was not available for comment. A spokesperson of the Marseille prosecutor's office told Reuters that the Ligue 1 player was taken into custody on May 29 for an investigation into suspected organised fraud, organised sports corruption, handling stolen goods and money laundering.
FIF has shown their full confidence in their player. "The FIF has not been officially notified of any legal or administrative proceedings concerning him," Reuters reported.
FIF also said that Wahi remains an important part of the Ivory Coast national team.
Till the team returns to Philadelphia for their final group stage against Curacao, he will be staying in the US, where the team's base camp is in Chester, Pennsylvania."The player will not be able to join the delegation's trip to Canada. This is because the administrative authorisations required for him to enter Canadian territory have not yet been obtained. Elye Wahi will therefore remain in the United States until the team returns," said FIF.
Wahi has also represented France at the under-21 level and made his senior level debut for the Ivory Coast back in March. Ivory Coast started off their tournament with a 1-0 win over Ecuador, while four-time champions Germany will enter with a 7-1 win against Curacao.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is a classic case of 'rules are rules until they're not' – reminds me of how our own country handles visa issues for sports events. But honestly, if there's a corruption investigation, Canada should be transparent about why they initially denied entry. Wahi deserves clarity. 🇨🇮⚽
Interesting how Canada's IRCC backtracked – almost like they realized the political fallout of denying a World Cup star entry. But the betting investigation makes this more complicated. I side with FIF; he should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Let the game decide! 🏆
As an Indian, I've seen this 'no exceptions' policy drama before. Our PM Modi's visa issues during international tours are legendary. But here, Canada's flip-flop shows they prioritized the World Cup spectacle over due process. Wahi is now under a cloud – let's see if he performs under pressure.🤔
I've been following this story closely. The link to a betting scandal is worrying – remember the match-fixing issues in cricket? FIFA and Canada need to be more open about what's happening. For now, let's just hope Ivory Coast vs Germany is a clean, exciting match. 🇩🇪⚔️🇨🇮
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