Ivory Coast international Elye Wahi has been denied entry to Canada for his country’s World Cup group game against Germany on Saturday.
The Nice forward was reportedly, external arrested last month before the World Cup over alleged involvement in spot-fixing in Ligue 1.
Wahi, 23 – who started Sunday’s World Cup win over Ecuador – has been accused of deliberately earning a yellow card while playing for Nice against Metz in May.
Spot-fixing is the practice of deliberately affecting match incidents in a way that allows people to profit through betting markets.
A statement to the Athletic from the public prosecutor’s office in Marseille confirmed a 23-year-old football player, competing in France’s Ligue 1, was arrested, without naming Wahi.
On Wednesday, Ligue de Football (LFP) confirmed they had been alerted to “an unusually high volume of bets placed on a warning involving the player Elye Wahi”.
The Ivory Coast’s football federation (FIF) say they had not been told of any “judicial or administrative proceedings” against Wahi, but confirmed he had not been able to obtain authorisation to enter Canada.
“The Ivorian Football Federation has taken note of the various articles and information published on this Wednesday, June 17, 2026, concerning the Ivorian international Elye Wahi,” it said in a statement.
“To date, the FIF has not been officially notified of any judicial or administrative proceedings involving him.
“In this particularly delicate period, the FIF extends all its support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him. Elye Wahi remains an important element of the Ivory Coast national team.
“The FIF also informs that the player will not be able to join the delegation’s trip to Canada. Indeed, the necessary administrative authorisations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage.
“Elye Wahi will therefore remain in the United States pending the team’s return.”
After facing Germany in Toronto, the Ivory Coast then play Curacao in Philadelphia next Thursday.
The statement from the Marseille public prosecutor’s office said the arrest was made “as part of an investigation opened by the Marseille public prosecutor’s office into allegations of organised fraud, organised sports corruption, handling of proceeds of crime and money laundering”.
The player was released after being interviewed in police custody and the investigations remain ongoing, officials added.
Wahi’s booking in the game was his fifth in the league so earned him a suspension for the first leg of Nice’s relegation play-off against Saint-Etienne on 26 May.
That game ended in a 0-0 draw but Wahi returned for the second leg in which he scored twice in a 4-1 victory to help Nice keep their place in the top flight.
BBC Sport has contacted Wahi’s representatives and Fifa for comment.
The LFP said: “At this stage, and given the ongoing investigation and the confidentiality requirements imposed by the police authorities, the LFP will not make any further comments and has not initiated disciplinary proceedings. However, it reserves the right to do so depending on the progress of the investigation.
“The LFP reiterates that it remains fully committed to ensuring the integrity of its competitions and that it will act with the utmost firmness against any behaviour that could compromise it.”
Wahi is the second World Cup player to be denied entry to Canada after Ghana’s Thomas Partey was refused a visa because of ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK.
Former Arsenal midfielder Partey pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022 and is scheduled to stand trial next year.
Partey wrongly told officials in Canada he had never been arrested or charged with a crime and missed Ghana’s World Cup win over Panama as a result.
The Ghanaian government sought permission for him to enter the country briefly to take part in the game but that appeal was rejected at a federal court in Ottawa.

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The New York Police Department plans to deploy 10,000 police officers to secure the New York Knicks’ ticker-tape parade on Thursday as the city celebrates the team’s first title in 53 years.
The Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to capture the NBA championship. It will the first parade for the franchise as the city didn’t throw a parade for when the team won twice in the 1970s.
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“There will be performances, there will be New Yorkers, there will be the team and there will be history,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Monday.
The parade is set to start at 10 a.m. ET near Battery Park and make its way up Broadway through the Canyon of Heroes and end at City Hall. Alicia Keys is set to perform at the event.
“We want people to enjoy this moment,” New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. “But public safety comes first.”
Knicks fans were already on NJ Transit and PATH trains Thursday morning to get into the city as officials told reveling fans to come early and be prepared.
Officials said all attendees will be screened and pens were set to open at 6 a.m. ET.
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No bags, glass or metal water bottles, bats/batons, bicycles or scooters, chairs or coolers will be allowed in the event. Those working in office buildings along the parade route will be able to enter them with proper identification as well as those who live in the area as well.
The City Hall ceremony will be for ticketed fans only. In addition to the above restrictions, no pets, backpacks, strollers, umbrellas or weapons will be permitted.
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Fans and residents were told that Bowling Green, Fulton, Brooklyn Bridge, Chambers and Park Place subway stations will be open while Wall Street and City Hall stops will be closed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The 2026 golf season has moved into its second stanza with the third major of the year arriving back at Shinnecock Hills. The USGA has loaded up the U.S. Open with a massive 156-man field featuring nearly all of the best golfers in the world competing across 72 holes in Southampton, New York.
While not the most visited U.S. Open site, Shinnecock Hills is seen by many as one of the toughest tests the USGA puts on its calendar. It will be hosting for the sixth time, with Brooks Koepka returning to the course seeking to prove he can continue to dominate it, just as he did during the tournament’s last visit in 2018.
Scottie Scheffler enters as the clear favorite, as per usual, though the pressure will be on as the world No. 1 golfer seeks to become the latest to win the career grand slam. Rory McIlroy, who completed the feat in his 11th try in 2025, is aiming to conquer a course that had his number during the last outing eight years ago. McIlroy has won consecutive Masters but not entered the winner’s circle at the U.S. Open in 15 years.
Others near the top of the odds board include Jon Rahm, whose play has improved tremendously over the last couple of weeks, Xander Schauffele, Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, Ludvig Åberg, Russell Henley and local product Cameron Young. Check out the full slate of U.S. Open tee times and pairings for Round 1 on Thursday.
Attending the U.S. Open can be a lot of fun, but simply watching golf on one of the game’s grandest stages is an incredible treat each year. We here at CBS Sports are thrilled to bring you wall-to-wall coverage of the U.S. Open all week, along with our U.S. Open picks and expert predictions for the foray to Long Island.
Enough talking about it. Here’s how you can watch as much U.S. Open as possible during the week. Be sure to stick with CBS Sports for live coverage throughout the third major of the year.
All times Eastern
2026 U.S. Open TV schedule, where to watch
Round 1 — Thursday, June 18
Round 1 start time: 6:30 a.m. [Tee times]
TV coverage: 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on USA Network
Late streaming coverage: 5-8 p.m. on NBC Sports Network
Featured Groups live stream: 7:30 a.m. on USOpen.com, U.S. Open mobile app
Round 2 — Friday, June 19
Round 2 start time: 6:30 a.m.
Early TV coverage: 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Network
TV coverage: 1:30-7:30 p.m. on NBC
Featured Groups live stream: 7:30 a.m. on USOpen.com, U.S. Open mobile app
Round 3 — Saturday, June 20
Round 3 start time: 10 a.m.
Early TV coverage: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on USA Network
TV coverage: 12-8 p.m. on NBC
Featured Groups live stream: TBA on USOpen.com, U.S. Open mobile app
Round 4 — Sunday, June 21
Round 4 start time: 9 a.m.
Early TV coverage: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on USA Network
TV coverage: 12-7 p.m. on NBC

Whether you are looking to stream the game on your preferred digital device or watch the action unfold on a traditional television screen, fans in the USA have a few fantastic options to catch the Colombia vs. Uzbekistan match for absolutely free.
The highly anticipated clash is scheduled to kick off soon, bringing together a technically gifted Colombian squad looking to assert their dominance against a spirited and resilient Uzbekistan side aiming for a major upset on the international stage.
READ MORE: Cheapest ways to watch FIFA World Cup
The match will be broadcast live on FS1 (English commentary) and Telemundo (Spanish commentary). Here is how you can watch both channels for free.
Colombia vs Uzbekistan – Free Live Stream Options
If you have cut the cord, lack a traditional TV antenna, and want to stream the broadcast on a smart TV or mobile device, your best bet is to sign up for a temporary free trial with a premium live TV streaming platform. Just remember to cancel your subscription before the trial window expires so you don’t get charged for the first month.
Provider
Trial length
Channels
Fubo
5 days
FS1 (English language) / Telemundo (Spanish language)
DirecTV Stream
5 days
FS1 (English language) / Telemundo (Spanish language)
Simply download your chosen app for your chosen provider on your smart TV, Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, Apple TV, or mobile device, sign up for the trial, and tune in at kickoff.
Because FS1 (Fox Sports 1) is a premium cable network, it cannot be picked up for free using a traditional TV antenna. However, if you have cut the cord and want to watch the English broadcast, your best bet is to sign up for a temporary free trial with a premium live TV streaming platform.
These platforms carry both FS1 and Telemundo. Just remember to cancel your subscription before the trial window expires so you don’t get charged for your first month.
Over-the-Air (OTA) TV Antenna: Telemundo Channel Numbers
If you prefer to watch the Spanish-language broadcast, you are in luck. Because Telemundo is a major broadcast network, you don’t need a cable subscription or a streaming trial to watch it. A standard over-the-air (OTA) digital antenna can pick up your local Telemundo affiliate completely free of charge.
Simply plug a standard digital TV antenna directly into your television set and scan for channels. While the exact channel number depends on your regional television market, here are the Telemundo channel numbers for some of the largest broadcasting markets in the US:
New York City, NY: Channel 47 (WNJU)
Los Angeles, CA: Channel 52 (KVEA)
Chicago, IL: Channel 44 (WSNS)
Miami, FL: Channel 51 (WSCV)
Houston, TX: Channel 47 (KTMD)
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX: Channel 39 (KXTX)
San Francisco/San Jose, CA: Channel 48 (KSTS)
San Antonio, TX: Channel 60 (KVDA)
If your city is not listed above, simply look up the local Telemundo affiliate in your specific zip code to find out exactly where to point your antenna to catch the action for free.

On Wednesday morning, agent Ron Slavin suggested that Texas Tech gave quarterback Brendan Sorsby a nudge toward the NFL supplemental draft. The official paperwork dismissing Sorsby’s lawsuit against the NCAA describes it as something much more than a nudge.
In the two-page voluntary dismissal of Sorsby’s lawsuit, as posted by Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, Sorsby’s lawyers stated this: “On June 15, 2026, Plaintiff was informed by Texas Tech that, notwithstanding the Temporary Injunction Order, the University would not permit Plaintiff to play for his football team during the 2026-27 football season, thereby rendered the relief afforded by the Temporary Injunction Order moot.”
In English, Texas Tech told Sorsby on Monday that the school would not allow him to play. Period. End of discussion.
It didn’t matter if Sorsby was willing to hold firm with the injunction and bypass the supplemental draft. Texas Tech, per Sorsby’s lawyer, told Sorsby he would not be allowed to play.
The timing is important. On Monday, the Big 12 sued Texas Tech in federal court in Dallas. The Big 12 wanted to have the ability to sanction Texas Tech, if/when it played Sorsby in a game.
That was enough to get Texas Tech to blink. By blinking, Texas Tech told Sorsby he wouldn’t play in 2026. Which gave Sorsby no choice. He had to apply for the supplemental draft.