Ivory Coast
CIV · CAF
Head Coach
Emerse Faé
Emerse Faé leads Ivory Coast into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, tasked with guiding the squad through a competitive Group E and beyond. The coaching staff has been preparing tactical approaches tailored to the expanded 48-team tournament format.
Group Stage Venue
Houston
Ivory Coast will play their group stage matches in Houston. The 2026 World Cup is the first to be hosted across three nations — the United States, Mexico, and Canada — with matches spread across 16 world-class venues.
Squad (26 players)
Goalkeepers
Defenders
Midfielders
Forwards
Recent Form & Current State
Ivory Coast qualified through CAF qualification, buoyed by their stunning AFCON 2023 triumph on home soil. Under Emerse Faé, who took over mid-tournament and led them to the title, the team has maintained strong form. They feature a blend of experience and exciting young talent.
Form heading into a major tournament is often a key indicator of how far a team can progress. Ivory Coast, currently ranked #34 in the FIFA World Rankings, will look to carry momentum from their recent qualifying and friendly campaigns into the group stage. Consistency in results and squad cohesion built during the qualification cycle will be vital assets. The CAFrepresentatives will be eager to demonstrate their quality on the world's biggest stage in 2026.
World Cup History
Ivory Coast have appeared in three World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014). They have never advanced past the group stage at a World Cup. Their golden generation featuring Didier Drogba and Yaya Touré were consistently competitive but unlucky in tough groups.
The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of international football, and Ivory Coast's history in the competition provides important context for their 2026 campaign. With the tournament expanding to 48 teams for the first time, every nation faces both new opportunities and new challenges in the revamped group stage format featuring groups of four with the top two advancing to a 32-team knockout round. Ivory Coast will aim to write a new chapter in their World Cup story at this historic edition of the tournament.
Group E Opponents
Ivory Coast faces Germany and Ecuador and Curaçao in Group E. The top two teams from each group advance to the Round of 32. Group dynamics, head-to-head records, and tactical matchups will all play a role in determining which teams progress from this stage.