The Ivory Coast World Cup 2026 squad has been named ahead of Les Elephantes' return to the biggest stage of all.
World Cup 2026 is the first tournament that Ivory Coast have been to since 2014, qualifying unbeaten in their CAF pool – and though the 2023 AFCON champions won't be favourites for the main prize, they have one of the richest squads at the tournament in terms of young talent and ingenuity, capable of shocking anyone in North America this summer.
There's an incredible XI to be made from Ousmane Diomande, Evan Ndicka and Wilfried Singo at the back, behind the leadership group of Franck Kessie, Jean Seri and Ibrahim Sangara in midfield – and that's without touching on an attack that boasts Amad Diallo, Nicolas Pepe and one of the most exciting gems in the world in Yan Diomande, profiled by FFT's Joe Donnohue in our The Boy's A Bit Special series.
They even have stability that they didn't previously enjoy: Ivory Coast sacked Jean-Louis Gasset mid-tournament in AFCON 2023 before going on to win the trophy with Emerse Fae, who still leads them in the dugout.
Their issue may be a lack of a focal point in attack, however, as evidenced by the lack of Sebastien Haller, who led the line wonderfully for that Africa Cup of Nations triumph but hasn't made the squad this time around.
Wilfried Zaha also misses out following poor form in Major League Soccer, Jeremie Boga has been omitted, too, and there's no place for veteran Willy Boly, given the talent they have in defence.
It'll be a tough ask for Ivory Coast – but there's no reason they can't look to be the best African side this time around and try and repeat Morocco's heroics of four years ago.
Squad
Ivory Coast World Cup 2026 squad: The final selection
- GK: Yahia Fofana (Caykur Rizespor)
- GK: Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos)
- GK: Mohamed Kone (Charleroi)
- DF: Ghislain Konan (Gil Vicente)
- DF: Odilon Kossounou (Atalanta)
- DF: Wilfried Singo (Galatasaray)
- DF: Evan Ndicka (Roma)
- DF: Emmanuel Agbadou (Besiktas)
- DF: Guela Doue (Strasbourg)
- DF: Ousmane Diomande (Sporting CP)
- DF: Clement Akpa (Auxerre)
- MF: Franck Kessie (Al-Ahli)
- MF: Jean Michael Seri (Maribor)
- MF: Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest)
- MF: Seko Fofana (Porto)
- MF: Christ Inao Oulai (Trabzonspor)
- MF: Parfait Guiagon (Charleroi)
- FW: Nicolas Pepe (Villarreal)
- FW: Oumar Diakite (Cercle Brugge)
- FW: Simon Adingra (Monaco)
- FW: Evann Guessand (Crystal Palace)
- FW: Amad Diallo (Manchester United)
- FW: Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig)
- FW: Bazoumana Toure (TSG Hoffenheim)
- FW: Elye Wahi (Nice)
- FW: Ange-Yoan Bonny (Inter Milan)
Fixtures and results
Fixtures
- June 4, 2026: France vs Ivory Coast, Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France
- June 14, 2026: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, United States
- June 20, 2026: Germany vs Ivory Coast, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
- June 25, 2026: Curacao vs Ivory Coast, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, United States
Results
- March 31, 2026: Ivory Coast 1-0 Scotland, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, England
- March 28, 2026: South Korea 0-4 Ivory Coast, Stadium MK, Milton Keynes, England
- December 31, 2025: Gabon 2-3 Ivory Coast, Stade de Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco
- December 28, 2025: Ivory Coast 1-1 Cameroon, Stade de Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco
- December 24, 2025: Ivory Coast 1-0 Mozambique, Stade de Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco
- November 18, 2025: Oman 0-2 Ivory Coast, Al-Seeb Stadium, Seeb, Oman
- November 14, 2025: Saudi Arabia 1-0 Ivory Coast, Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- October 14, 2025: Ivory Coast 3-0 Kenya, Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
- October 10, 2025: Seychelles 0-7 Ivory Coast, Côte d'Or National Sports Complex, Saint Pierre, Mauritius
- September 9, 2025: Gabon 0-0 Ivory Coast, Stade de Franceville, Franceville, Gabon
- September 5, 2025: Ivory Coast 1-0 Burundi, Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
- June 10, 2025: Canada 0-0 (4-5 p) Ivory Coast, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
- June 7, 2025: Ivory Coast 0-1 New Zealand, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
- March 25, 2025: Ivory Coast 1-0 Gambia, Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
- March 21, 2025: Burundi 0-1 Ivory Coast, Honneur Stadium, Meknes, Morocco
Manager
Who is Ivory Coast's manager?
Emerse Fae became the first manager ever to be appointed mid-international tournament and go on to win it when he took over during the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024.
Reading fans may recognise the name, with Fae playing a single season with the Royals in 2006-07 when they were in the Premier League. However, he only featured 11 times.
Since taking the permanent manager role of the Ivory Coast squad, Fae has lost just five times across 25 games.
Star player
Who is the Ivory Coast's star player?
Amad Diallo is one of Ivory Coast's best attackers and still has age on his side heading into this tournament.
He's proven adaptable, making Ruben Amorim's wing-back role work before reverting to his more common winger role under Michael Carrick, and excelling in both.
Having grown in importance at Old Trafford over the past few years, the same pattern appears to be following for country, with the 23-year-old a key feature during AFCON 2025.
