Ivory Coast World Cup Squad 2026: Full 26-Player Roster
The Ivory Coast World Cup Squad 2026 has reached the knockout rounds for the first time in the country’s history. Emerse Faé’s 26 players finished second in Group E with two wins from three matches, and the Elephants now meet Norway in the Round of 32 on June 30 in Dallas. Captain Franck Kessié, now past 100 international caps, leads the side at his first World Cup.
Valued above €515 million, this is the most expensive squad Ivory Coast have ever assembled and the richest of any African nation at the tournament. Nicolas Pépé delivered the defining moment of the group stage, a brace against Curaçao that secured a place in the last 32. Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Ibrahim Sangaré (Nottingham Forest), and Evann Guessand (Crystal Palace) give the Elephants a strong Premier League core.
Below is the complete Ivory Coast World Cup Squad 2026, with the full 26-player roster, group stage results, the Group E final table, and the Round of 32 fixture against Norway.
Ivory Coast World Cup Squad 2026: Full 26-Player Roster
| 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 | 20 |
| 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.
Squad Quick Stats
Ivory Coast’s 26 players represent clubs across 11 countries, 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: Nicolas Pépé (16 goals)
- Premier League players: 3 (Amad Diallo, Ibrahim Sangaré, Evann Guessand)
- Youngest player: Yan Diomande (19)
- Oldest player: Jean-Michaël Seri (34)
- World Cup debutants: Amad Diallo, Evann Guessand, Ousmane Diomande, Yan Diomande
- Qualifying top scorer: Seko Fofana (3 goals)
Key Players to Watch
Nicolas Pépé | Villarreal
Pépé is the man of the moment. His brace against Curaçao on June 25 sent Ivory Coast into the knockout stage for the first time and earned him Player of the Match. The former Arsenal winger has rebuilt his career in La Liga and is now the squad’s leading international scorer with 16 goals. On the right flank he remains a direct, two-footed threat in the box.
Amad Diallo | Manchester United
Diallo opened Ivory Coast’s tournament with a 90th-minute winner against Ecuador. At 23, fresh off his best season at Manchester United, he pairs pace with sharp finishing in tight spaces. He is the Elephants’ most dangerous outlet on the counter and can trouble any full-back.
Franck Kessié (C) | Al-Ahli
Kessié is the heartbeat of the side and scored against Germany in the group stage. The 29-year-old has passed 100 caps and has captained the Elephants since 2023, when he scored the equalizer in the AFCON final win over Nigeria. With title-winning spells at AC Milan and Barcelona behind him, he now controls play from deep in the Saudi Pro League.
Ousmane Diomande | Sporting CP
The 22-year-old centre-back is one of Africa’s most sought-after defenders and the foundation of Faé’s back line. Composed in possession and strong in the duel, he will lead the effort to contain Erling Haaland in the Round of 32.
Yan Diomande | RB Leipzig
At 19, Yan Diomande is the breakout name in the attack. He produced 20 goal contributions in 33 matches for Leipzig last season, won the Bundesliga Rookie of the Year award, and is now linked with several elite clubs. His pace and dribbling make him a constant problem off the bench or from the start.
Ivory Coast World Cup 2026 Group Stage Results
Ivory Coast played two group games in Philadelphia and one in Toronto. They became only the second African nation to open the scoring in all three of their group matches at a World Cup.
| Date | Match | Result | Scorers (CIV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 14 | Ivory Coast vs Ecuador | 1-0 Win | Amad Diallo 90′ |
| June 20 | Germany vs Ivory Coast | 2-1 Loss | Kessié 30′ |
| June 25 | Curaçao vs Ivory Coast | 0-2 Win | Pépé 2 goals |
A disciplined 1-0 win over Ecuador, settled by Amad Diallo’s late strike, gave the Elephants a perfect start. A 2-1 loss to Germany followed, with Kessié scoring before Deniz Undav’s stoppage-time winner. Ivory Coast steadied themselves in the final round, beating Curaçao 2-0 through Pépé’s double to confirm second place and a knockout berth.
For the full group stage calendar, visit the World Cup 2026 schedule page.
Round of 32: Ivory Coast vs Norway
As Group E runners-up, Ivory Coast face Group I runners-up Norway in the Round of 32. The tie is a clear test: Norway are built around Erling Haaland, who already has four goals at this tournament, and captain Martin Ødegaard.
| Match | Date | Venue | Kickoff (ET) | Kickoff (GMT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivory Coast vs Norway | June 30 | AT&T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas) | 1:00 PM | 6:00 PM |
The winner advances to the Round of 16, where either Brazil or Japan awaits. Faé’s counter-attacking plan suits the matchup: sit compact against a possession side and strike through Diallo, Pépé, and Yan Diomande in transition. Containing Haaland will fall to Ousmane Diomande and Odilon Kossounou.
How Ivory Coast Qualified for World Cup 2026
Ivory Coast topped CAF Group F with 8 wins and 2 draws from 10 matches, unbeaten across the campaign. The standout figure was defensive: 10 clean sheets from 10 qualifiers. The two dropped points came in draws against Gabon and Kenya, with Gabon finishing one point behind on the final matchday.
The group also featured Gambia, Burundi, and Seychelles. Faé’s system spread the goals widely, with 15 different players scoring during qualifying and Seko Fofana leading the team on three. The decisive result came on October 14, 2025, a commanding 3-0 win over Kenya in Abidjan that clinched the group and ended a 12-year absence from the World Cup, the longest in the country’s history.
Head Coach: Emerse Faé
Born on January 24, 1984 in Nantes, France, Emerse Faé played as a midfielder for Ivory Coast from 2005 to 2012, winning 41 caps after switching allegiance from France. His club career took in FC Nantes, Reading, and OGC Nice before a phlebitis condition forced his retirement at 28.
Faé took over as caretaker in January 2024 when Jean-Louis Gasset was sacked during the 2023 AFCON Round of 16, then guided the Elephants to the title, beating Senegal, Mali, DR Congo, and Nigeria along the way. He remains the only manager to win a major tournament after being appointed mid-competition. His identity is built on rapid transitions and wide attacking play rather than a single fixed striker.
Group E Final Standings
Germany won Group E on goal difference, with Ivory Coast level on points in second. Ecuador advanced as one of the eight best third-placed teams, while debutants Curaçao were eliminated.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +6 | 6 |
| 2 | Ivory Coast | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +2 | 6 |
| 3 | Ecuador | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Curaçao | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -8 | 1 |
For head-to-head records and the full group breakdown, check the Group E hub.
FAQ About Ivory Coast World Cup Squad 2026
How did Ivory Coast perform in the 2026 World Cup group stage?
Ivory Coast finished second in Group E with two wins and one defeat. They beat Ecuador 1-0 and Curaçao 2-0 and lost 2-1 to group winners Germany. Six points and a positive goal difference sent the Elephants through to the Round of 32 for the first time in their history.
Who do Ivory Coast play in the World Cup 2026 Round of 32?
Ivory Coast face Norway on June 30, 2026 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with kickoff at 1:00 PM ET (6:00 PM GMT). Both teams qualified as group runners-up. The winner advances to the Round of 16 to meet either Brazil or Japan.
Who is Ivory Coast’s all-time top scorer, and is he in the squad?
Didier Drogba remains Ivory Coast’s all-time top scorer with 65 goals in 105 caps between 2002 and 2014. He is not in the 2026 squad, having retired in 2018. Nicolas Pépé is the leading scorer in the current squad with 16 international goals.
What formation does Ivory Coast use under Emerse Faé?
Faé sets Ivory Coast up in a 4-3-3 built on fast transitions and wide attacking play, without relying on a single striker. Fifteen different players scored during qualifying, and the Elephants opened the scoring in all three of their World Cup group games.
How many times have Ivory Coast won the Africa Cup of Nations?
Ivory Coast have won AFCON three times, in 1992, 2015, and 2023. The most recent title came on home soil in February 2024 under Emerse Faé, with a 2-1 win over Nigeria in the final.
Ivory Coast World Cup Squad 2026 Outlook
The Ivory Coast World Cup Squad 2026 has already made history by reaching the knockout rounds for the first time, and Emerse Faé has shown once more that he delivers under pressure. The blend works: seasoned leaders in Kessié, Seko Fofana, and Seri alongside elite young attackers in Diallo, Yan Diomande, and Pépé.
Norway and Erling Haaland stand in the way of a place in the Round of 16. Faé’s transition-based system is designed for exactly this kind of tie, sitting tight against a strong opponent and punishing them on the break. The quality is there, and the Elephants now have a genuine chance to go further than any Ivory Coast team before them.
