Emerse Faé named the Ivory Coast World Cup squad on May 15, 2026, bringing the 2023 AFCON champions back to the global stage for the first time since 2014. Captain Franck Kessié, now past 100 international caps, leads the Elephants at his first World Cup. Defender Clément Akpa withdrew with injury before the tournament and was replaced by Christopher Opéri of İstanbul Başakşehir on May 29.
The Ivory Coast World Cup Squad 2026 carries a market value above €515 million, the highest among all African teams at this tournament. Three Premier League players feature: Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Ibrahim Sangaré (Nottingham Forest), and Evann Guessand (Crystal Palace). Group E puts the Elephants against Germany, Ecuador, and Curaçao in what is arguably the toughest African team’s draw of the tournament.
This is your full Ivory Coast World Cup Squad 2026, with the complete roster, schedule, and Group E breakdown for the North America tournament.
Ivory Coast 26-Player Squad for World Cup 2026
| Position | Player | Club | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Yahia Fofana | Çaykur Rizespor | 33 |
| GK | Mohamed Koné | Charleroi | 23 |
| GK | Alban Lafont | Panathinaikos | 24 |
| DF | Emmanuel Agbadou | Beşiktaş | 30 |
| DF | Christopher Opéri | İstanbul Başakşehir | 30 |
| DF | Ousmane Diomande | Sporting CP | 22 |
| DF | Guéla Doué | Strasbourg | 22 |
| DF | Ghislain Konan | Gil Vicente | 31 |
| DF | Odilon Kossounou | Atalanta | 25 |
| DF | Evan Ndicka | AS Roma | 25 |
| DF | Wilfried Singo | Galatasaray | 25 |
| MF | Seko Fofana | Porto | 31 |
| MF | Parfait Guiagon | Charleroi | 25 |
| MF | Christ Inao Oulaï | Trabzonspor | 29 |
| MF | Franck Kessié (C) | Al-Ahli | 29 |
| MF | Ibrahim Sangaré | Nottingham Forest | 28 |
| MF | Jean-Michaël Seri | Maribor | 34 |
| FW | Simon Adingra | Monaco | 24 |
| FW | Ange-Yoan Bonny | Inter Milan | 22 |
| FW | Amad Diallo | Manchester United | 23 |
| FW | Oumar Diakité | Cercle Brugge | 24 |
| FW | Yan Diomande | RB Leipzig | 19 |
| FW | Evann Guessand | Crystal Palace | 25 |
| FW | Nicolas Pépé | Villarreal | 31 |
| FW | Bazoumana Touré | Hoffenheim | 21 |
| FW | Elye Wahi | OGC Nice | 22 |
(C) = captain. Squad as confirmed on May 29, 2026. Ages as of June 11, 2026.
For all 48 team squads, see our World Cup 2026 squads page.
Quick Stats
Ivory Coast’s 26 represent 25 clubs across 11 different countries, making this one of the most internationally dispersed African squads in tournament history.
- Average age: 26 years
- Most-capped player: Franck Kessié (100+ caps)
- Top international scorer in squad: Franck Kessié (14+ goals)
- Premier League players: 3 (Amad Diallo, Ibrahim Sangaré, Evann Guessand)
- Youngest player: Yan Diomande (19)
- Oldest player: Jean-Michaël Seri (34)
- Notable World Cup debutants: Amad Diallo, Evann Guessand, Ousmane Diomande, Yan Diomande
- Qualifying top scorer: Seko Fofana (3 goals)
Key Players to Watch
Franck Kessié (C) | Al-Ahli
Kessié is the heartbeat of this squad. The 29-year-old has passed 100 caps and captained the Elephants since 2023. He scored the equalizer in the 2023 AFCON final before Ivory Coast beat Nigeria 2-1. After title-winning spells at AC Milan (Scudetto 2022) and Barcelona (La Liga 2023), he now directs play from deep in the Saudi Pro League. This is his first World Cup.
Ousmane Diomande | Sporting CP
The 22-year-old centre-back is one of Africa’s most sought-after defenders. At Sporting CP last season, Diomande completed 68.77 successful passes per 90 minutes with a 93% accuracy rate. He made his international debut in September 2023 and has become Ivory Coast’s defensive foundation remarkably fast. Watch him against Germany’s press.
Ibrahim Sangaré | Nottingham Forest
Sangaré is the engine room in front of the backline. The 28-year-old deep-lying midfielder reads the game early and limits space between the lines with a relentless press. Formerly a key figure at PSV Eindhoven, he now anchors Nottingham Forest’s midfield in the Premier League. Sangaré is essential to Faé’s defensive shape.
Amad Diallo | Manchester United
At 23, the winger comes to this tournament off his best-ever club season at Manchester United. Diallo combines pace with sharp two-footed finishing in tight spaces. Diallo is widely seen as Ivory Coast’s most dangerous threat on the counter, and this is his World Cup debut. He can cause serious problems for any full-back.
Yan Diomande | RB Leipzig
At 19, Yan Diomande is the breakout name in Faé’s attack. After a spell at the DME Academy in Florida and a brief loan at Leganés, he joined Leipzig last summer and produced 20 goal contributions in 33 matches. He won the Bundesliga Rookie of the Year award and made his international debut in October 2025. Don’t sleep on him.
Ivory Coast World Cup 2026 Schedule
Ivory Coast play two of their three group matches in Philadelphia and one in Toronto. Local kick-off times are listed in Eastern Time (ET) and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) for fans back home.
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Kickoff (ET) | Kickoff (GMT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 14 | Ecuador | Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Financial Field), Philadelphia | 7:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| June 20 | Germany | Toronto Stadium (BMO Field), Toronto | 4:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
| June 25 | Curaçao | Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Financial Field), Philadelphia | 4:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
All kick-off times follow the official FIFA match schedule. Group positions were confirmed at the December 5, 2025 draw. Ivory Coast open against South American side Ecuador before facing four-time world champions Germany six days later. Their final group match against Curaçao, the competition’s first-time qualifiers, falls on June 25 in Philadelphia.
For the full group stage calendar, visit the World Cup 2026 schedule page.
How Ivory Coast Qualified for World Cup 2026
Ivory Coast topped CAF Group F with a record of 8 wins and 2 draws from 10 matches, going unbeaten across the entire campaign. The two dropped points came as draws against Gabon and Kenya. The defensive record stands out most: 10 clean sheets from 10 qualifying games, with Gabon finishing just one point behind on the final matchday.
The qualifying group featured Gabon, Gambia, Kenya, Burundi, and Seychelles. Faé’s system delivered goals from across the pitch: 15 different players scored during the campaign. That kind of shared responsibility is rare in international football. Midfielder Seko Fofana led the team with three goals.
The decisive moment arrived on October 14, 2025. Ivory Coast needed a win in their final home match against Kenya to clinch the group directly. They delivered a commanding 3-0 victory in Abidjan to send the Elephants to North America. It ended a 12-year absence from the World Cup stage, the longest gap in the country’s qualifying history.
Head Coach: Emerse Faé
Emerse Faé was born on January 24, 1984, in Nantes, France. He played as a midfielder for Ivory Coast between 2005 and 2012, earning 41 caps. His club career included stints at FC Nantes, Reading, and OGC Nice before he retired at 28 due to a phlebitis condition. He won the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship with France before switching international allegiance to Ivory Coast.
Faé became caretaker on January 24, 2024, when Jean-Louis Gasset was sacked during the 2023 AFCON Round of 16. He guided the Elephants to the title, beating Senegal, Mali, DR Congo, and Nigeria on the way to a 2-1 win over Nigeria in the final. He is the first manager in history to win a major tournament after being appointed mid-competition.
His tactical identity centres on rapid transitions and wide attacking play. He doesn’t rely on a single striker: 15 different players scored in qualifying, and his overall record stands at 21 wins, 5 draws, and 5 losses from 31 matches as of March 2026.
Group E at a Glance
Group E includes one of the tournament’s most decorated sides alongside three nations with contrasting World Cup histories.
| Team | FIFA Ranking | World Cup Appearances | Best Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 9 | 20 | Winners (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014) |
| Ecuador | 23 | 4 | Round of 16 (2006) |
| Ivory Coast | 34 | 3 | Group stage (2006, 2010, 2014) |
| Curaçao | 82 | 0 | Debut |
FIFA rankings: Germany, Ecuador, Curaçao as of November 2025 (draw seedings). Ivory Coast as of April 1, 2026. World Cup appearances = previous tournaments only, 2026 not included.
Germany are the clear favourites. Four-time world champions ranked 9th globally, they enter under Julian Nagelsmann. Ecuador aren’t a soft touch either. They reached the Round of 16 in 2006 and have four previous World Cup appearances. Curaçao make their debut and are the group’s biggest unknown. For Ivory Coast, the path to the Round of 32 runs through a win against Ecuador on June 14. Second place is the realistic target. Check the Group E hub for head-to-head records and the full group breakdown.
FAQ About Ivory Coast World Cup Squad 2026
What is Ivory Coast’s nickname?
Ivory Coast are known as Les Éléphants, or The Elephants in English. The nickname dates back to the founding years of the national federation and references the country’s national symbol. It appears on the national crest and the orange, white, and green kit worn at tournaments.
Who is Ivory Coast’s all-time top scorer, and is he in the squad?
Didier Drogba is Ivory Coast’s all-time top scorer with 65 international goals in 105 appearances between 2002 and 2014. He isn’t in the 2026 squad. Drogba retired from professional football in 2018 and has since moved into football administration and club ownership.
What formation does Ivory Coast use under Emerse Faé?
Faé typically sets Ivory Coast up in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 with strong emphasis on fast transitions and wide-channel attacking play. Faé does not rely on one fixed scorer. Fifteen different players scored during qualifying, which reflects his squad-wide attacking philosophy and fluid movement between lines.
How many times has Ivory Coast won the Africa Cup of Nations?
Ivory Coast have won the AFCON three times: in 1992, 2015, and 2023. The most recent title came on home soil in February 2024 under Emerse Faé. The Elephants beat Nigeria 2-1 in the final, with Franck Kessié scoring the equalizer before the winning goal secured the title.
Ivory Coast’s World Cup 2026 Hopes
The Ivory Coast World Cup Squad 2026 is the country’s most valuable ever and Faé has already proved he can deliver under pressure. This group blends seasoned leaders in Kessié, Fofana, and Seri with a wave of elite young forwards in Diallo, Yan Diomande, and Adingra. The Elephants have never passed the group stage in three previous World Cup campaigns. That record is the challenge they’re here to break.
Germany are too strong to take down but Ivory Coast’s fate is not in Germany’s hands. A win against Ecuador on June 14 sets up a genuine push for second place. Faé’s counter-attacking system is designed exactly for that scenario: sit tight against possession-heavy opponents and punish them in transition. The squad has the quality. The Elephants could reach the Round of 32 for the first time.
