Will Elye Wahi play tonight for Ivory Coast vs Germany in FIFA World Cup 2026?

Elye Wahi led the nation’s attack in the opening fixture.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is currently underway with the second round of its group stage fixtures, with the excitement increasing with every matchup. The Ivory Coast are set for a heavyweight clash against Germany, a fixture to determine the group leaders, at Toronto Stadium in Ontario, Canada.

The Ivory Coast and Germany are set to battle in a competitive match for only the second time, with their only previous meeting in history being in 2009, marking 17 years since a friendly match, which ultimately ended in a 2-2 draw.

Emerse Faé updates on Elye Wahi’s role against Germany

Manager Emerse Faé have confirmed that Elye Wahi is fully cleared and highly likely to feature in the highly anticipated clash against Germany, giving the side a favourable position. Doubts regarding his availability arose after the forward struggled with administrative and clearance complications in Canada for the matchup.

“He hasn’t really shown any signs of being annoyed or being discouraged.”

“He’s happy. He had a good journey over here and he’s going to do everything he can to help out the team.”

Elye Wahi was initially denied entry into Canada after failing to comply with the nation’s visa requirements due to an ongoing criminal investigation in France on charges of alleged spot-fixing and sports corruption.

Days before the game against Germany, reports came out revealing shocking information regarding Wahi’s arrest in France on May 29, only weeks before the tournament commencement.

Elye Wahi was flagged by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) after the emergence of highly unusual betting patterns of the player receiving a yellow card for OGC Nice against FC Metz on May 19. He eventually was punished with a yellow card for a careless foul, with the move considered intentional.

Canada has very strict background and security checks for foreign nationals travelling to the country, especially those with active criminal charges. After the news broke out, Canada blocked his travel permit to review his legal paperwork.

However, he was granted entry after a swift appeal by his lawyers, after they secured documents from the Marseille prosecutor’s office proving that he is not facing any major charge and was only summoned for questioning. Canadian legal authorities reviewed the newly submitted document, reversing his travel ban, allowing the player to join the team in Toronto.

The Ivory Coast are in Group E of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, dubbed a difficult pathway for the African side. They currently sit level with Germany in the table, competing alongside Ecuador and Curaçao.

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