The Côte d’Ivoire 2026 team returns to the World Cup after a 12-year absence. Within this interval, new faces inherited the World Cup promise once held by Didier Drogba and the Golden generation. Will Les Éléphants finally reach the knockout round?
Stay updated on Côte d’Ivoire’s World Cup 2026 bid with SportPesa. Coach Emerse Faé and captain Franck Kessié lead the Les Éléphants roster that includes Amad Diallo and Yan Diomande. Read on for a comprehensive guide to Côte d’Ivoire’s 2026 World Cup campaign.
Côte d’Ivoire national team profile overview
| Official team name | Côte d’Ivoire national football team |
| Anglicised name | Ivory Coast |
| Nickname | Les Éléphants, meaning the Elephants, due to their high population of animals |
| Confederation | CAF, the Confederation of African Football |
| Head coach | Emerse Faé |
| Captain | Franck Kessié |
| Most caps | Didier Zokora, with 123 |
| Top World Cup goal scorer | 2 each for Didier Drogba, Aruna Dindane, Gervinho, and Wilfried Bony |
| Top overall goal scorer | Didier Drogba, 65 goals in 105 appearances |
| Players to watch | Franck Kessié, Yan Diomande, Amad Diallo, Evan Ndicka |
| FIFA World Cup appearances | 4, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2026 |
| Best World Cup finish | Group stage in 2006, 2010, and 2014 |
| Home stadium | Stade Alassane Ouattara Obimpe |
| Football association | Fédération Ivoirienne de Football, the Ivorian Football Federation |
Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 qualification
Côte d’Ivoire’s FIFA World Cup 2026 entry involved an unbeaten run in Group F of CAF qualifiers. Les Éléphants won 8 of 10 matches and drew 2, scoring 25 goals and conceding none. Côte d’Ivoire qualified automatically by topping the Group F table with 26 points.
Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 group
Côte d’Ivoire begins its World Cup run in Group E. The Côte d’Ivoire World Cup group 2026 includes opponents Germany, Curaçao, and Ecuador. Group E matches take place from June 14 to June 25 in Philadelphia and Toronto.
Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 fixtures and match schedule
Visit SportPesa for the complete Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 schedule. It includes Les Éléphants’ opponents, venues and kick-off times in South African Standard Time.
| Date (SAST) | Match | Venue |
| 15 June | Côte d’Ivoire vs Ecuador | MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, USA |
| 20 June | Germany vs Côte d’Ivoire | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, USA |
| 25 June | Côte d’Ivoire vs Curaçao | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, USA |
Côte d’Ivoire results at FIFA World Cup 2026
Get real-time results for all Côte d’Ivoire games in the World Cup 2026. The results include the winners and scores from each World Cup match.
| Date (SAST) | Match | Result |
| 15 June 2026 | Côte d’Ivoire vs Ecuador | 1–0 |
| 20 June 2026 | Germany vs Côte d’Ivoire | To be filled |
| 25 June 2026 | Côte d’Ivoire vs Curaçao | To be filled |
Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 table and standings
Get the FIFA World Cup standings for every team on SportPesa. The Ivory Coast national football team standings table updates you on the matches played, won, lost or drawn, goals scored or conceded, goal difference and the total points. Here is the Côte d’Ivoire standings table.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Germany | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | +6 | 3 |
| 2 | Côte d’Ivoire | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 3 | Ecuador | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 4 | Curaçao | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 0 |
Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 squad
Head coach Emerse Faé announced the Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 squad on May 15 2026. Sébastien Haller and Wilfried Zaha were excluded. Franck Kessié captains a roster that also includes Amad Diallo, Yan Diomande, Nicolas Pépé, and Evan Ndicka. Browse the full 26-man squad, including the Ivory Coast starting 11 for the World Cup, below.
Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 goalkeepers
| Jersey No. | Player | Club | Age | Height | Weight | Nationality |
| 1 | Yahia Fofana | Çaykur Rizespor | 25 | 6’4″ | 194 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 16 | Mohamed Koné | Charleroi | 24 | 6’1″ | 172 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 23 | Alban Lafont | Panathinaikos | 27 | 6’5″ | 185 lbs | Ivory Coast |
Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 defenders
| Jersey No. | Player | Position | Club | Age | Height | Weight | Nationality |
| 2 | Ousmane Diomande | Central Defender | Sporting CP | 22 | 6’3″ | 205 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 3 | Ghislain Konan | Left Back | Gil Vicente | 30 | 5’9″ | 172 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 5 | Wilfried Singo | Defender | Galatasaray | 25 | 6’3″ | 174 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 7 | Odilon Kossounou | Central Defender | Atalanta | 25 | 6’3″ | 183 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 13 | Christopher Operi | Left Back | İstanbul Başakşehir | 29 | 6’0″ | 174 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 17 | Guela Doué | Right Back | Strasbourg | 23 | 6’2″ | 192 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 20 | Emmanuel Agbadou | Central Defender | Beşiktaş | 29 | 6’4″ | 185 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 21 | Evan Ndicka | Central Defender | Roma | 26 | 6’4″ | 185 lbs | Ivory Coast |
Côte d’Ivoire National teams midfielders
| Jersey No. | Player | Position | Club | Age | Height | Weight | Nationality |
| 4 | Jean Michaël Seri | Central Midfielder | Maribor | 34 | 5’7″ | 161 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 6 | Seko Fofana | Central Midfielder | Porto | 31 | 6’1″ | 183 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 8 | Franck Kessié | Defensive Midfielder | Al-Ahli | 29 | 6’0″ | 196 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 15 | Amad Diallo | Attacking Midfielder / Winger | Manchester United | 23 | 5’8″ | 159 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 18 | Ibrahim Sangaré | Defensive Midfielder | Nottingham Forest | 28 | 6’3″ | 170 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 26 | Christ Inao Oulaï | Central Midfielder | Trabzonspor | 20 | 5’8″ | 150 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 25 | Parfait Guiagon | Central Midfielder | Charleroi | N/A | N/A | N/A | Ivory Coast |
Côte d’Ivoire Forwards
| Jersey No. | Player | Position | Club | Age | Height | Weight | Nationality |
| 9 | Ange-Yoan Bonny | Centre Forward | Inter Milan | 22 | 6’2″ | 183 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 10 | Simon Adingra | Left Winger | Monaco | 24 | 5’9″ | 150 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 11 | Yan Diomande | Winger | RB Leipzig | 19 | 5’11” | 168 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 12 | Elye Wahi | Centre Forward | Nice | 23 | 6’0″ | 161 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 14 | Oumar Diakité | Centre Forward | Cercle Brugge | 22 | 6’1″ | 170 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 19 | Nicolas Pépé | Right Winger | Villarreal | 31 | 6’0″ | 163 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 22 | Evann Guessand | Forward | Crystal Palace | 20 | 5’10” | 152 lbs | Ivory Coast |
| 24 | Bazoumana Touré | Winger | TSG Hoffenheim | 25 | 5’7″ | 152 lbs | Ivory Coast |
Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 kits
PUMA designed the Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 jersey. The home kit is orange, with deeper orange patterns and green details. The away jersey is white with warm orange flower patterns. The goalkeeper’s jersey is pink with white highlights.
Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 coach and technical bench
Emerse Faé has led the Ivory Coast national Football team since January 2024. A former footballer, Faé successfully guided Les Éléphants to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. This made him the first coach in football history to win after being appointed mid-tournament. He is also the first Ivorian coach to guide the team into the World Cup. Below is the rest of the technical bench.
| Role | Name | Nationality |
| Head Coach | Emerse Faé | Ivorian |
| Assistant Coach | Guy Demel | Ivorian |
| Assistant Coach | Alain Gouaméné | Ivorian |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Gérard Gnanhouan | Ivorian |
| Fitness Coach | Samir Anba | Ivorian |
| Performance / Technical Analyst | Jeremy Antonio | Ivorian |
| Team Doctor | Rodrigue Kouassi | Ivorian |
| Physiotherapist | Aurélien Koffi | Ivorian |
| Physiotherapist | Bakary Mendy | Ivorian |
| Physiotherapist | Gervais Soumaré | Ivorian |
Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 statistics
Download SP Score for all World Cup 2026 statistics. The Ivory Coast World Cup 2026 squad statistics include the player assist and goal rankings, discipline and injury statuses.
| Player | Position | Minutes Played | Goals | Assists | Injuries | Yellow Cards | Red Cards |
| Yahia Fofana | Goalkeeper | 90 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mohamed Koné | Goalkeeper | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alban Lafont | Goalkeeper | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ousmane Diomande | Defender | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ghislain Konan | Defender | 90 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wilfried Singo | Defender | 90 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Odilon Kossounou | Defender | 90 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christopher Operi | Defender | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Guela Doué | Defender | 90 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Emmanuel Agbadou | Defender | 90 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Evan Ndicka | Defender | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jean Michaël Seri | Midfielder | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seko Fofana | Midfielder | 90 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Franck Kessié | Midfielder | 90 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Amad Diallo | Forward | 90 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ibrahim Sangaré | Midfielder | 90 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christ Inao Oulaï | Midfielder | 90 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ange-Yoan Bonny | Forward | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Simon Adingra | Forward | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yan Diomande | Forward | 90 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Elye Wahi | Forward | 55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oumar Diakité | Forward | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nicolas Pépé | Forward | 77 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Evann Guessand | Forward | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bazoumana Touré | Forward | 55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Parfait Guiagon | Forward | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 predictions, betting tips, and odds
The best bet for Côte d’Ivoire is to top Group E and advance to the knockout rounds. Their undefeated CAF qualifying run suggests that the round of 16 is also possible. Their attacking depth is solid enough to fight through to those rounds. This is only if they avoid heavy favourites such as Spain or France in the early knockout round. Find accurate Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 odds on SportPesa.
Why Côte d’Ivoire’s momentum could finally lead to a deep run at the World Cup
Côte d’Ivoire has never advanced past the group stage of the World Cup. Les Éléphants built momentum by winning the 2023 AFCON and an unbeaten CAF qualifiers run. This could see the team reach the knockout round for the first time. Get in on all popular World Cup games on SportPesa.
FAQs on Côte d’Ivoire in World Cup 2026
Is Drogba playing for the Ivory Coast in the 2026 World Cup?
No, Didier Drogba retired from international football in 2014 and from professional football in 2018.
Who is the best Ivorian player of all time?
Didier Drogba and Yaya Touré are considered the best players from the Ivory Coast. Drogba is the all-time top scorer, while Touré is praised for his technical expertise.
Can Ivorian fans travel to the United States for the World Cup?
Ivorian supporters are facing difficulties travelling to the United States. This is due to the USA’s suspension of visa issuance to 39 countries, including Côte d’Ivoire.
Conclusion
The Côte d’Ivoire World Cup 2026 team has big shoes to fill from pioneers like Didier Drogba and Yaya Touré. But Les Éléphants have proven up to the task. They could finally deliver the promise of Côte d’Ivoire’s Golden generation. Join the SportPesa play hub and bet on Côte d’Ivoire in the 2026 World Cup on SportPesa.
