The moment has finally arrived for the Elephants. Today, Cote d’Ivoire head coach Emerse Faé officially revealed his final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup taking place from June 11 to July 19. The announcement had been highly anticipated, coming less than a month before kickoff.
For Côte d’Ivoire, this is a long-awaited return to football’s biggest stage. The Elephants are back at the World Cup for the first time since the 2014 tournament in Brazil. After years of rebuilding, the West African country returns with renewed ambition and a squad that includes many of the players who secured their 2023 AFCON title win.
Since taking over the national team, Emerse Faé has transformed the mood around the squad. The former international became a national hero after leading Cote d’Ivoire to a memorable continental triumph at the 2023 AFCON on home soil. Now, expectations have shifted toward an even greater challenge: making an impact at the World Cup.
The squad features established names such as Franck Kessié, Seko Fofana (FC Porto) and Ibrahim Sangaré (Nottingham Forest), alongside a new generation represented by Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Simon Adingra (Lille), and Evann Guessand (Nottingham Forest).
One of the notable inclusions is 22-year-old Ange-Yoan Bonny, whose arrival adds a fresh attacking option to Faé’s squad. There are also some absences that have raised eyebrows, including AFCON hero Sébastien Haller, who had publicly expressed his desire to feature at what could have been his final World Cup.
Full Ivory Coast squad for the 2026 World Cup:
Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana, Mohamed Koné, Alban Lafont.
Defenders: Emmanuel Agbadou, Clément Akpa, Ousmane Diomandé, Guéla Doué, Ghislain Konan, Odilon Kossounou, Evan Ndicka, Wilfried Singo.
Midfielders: Seko Fofana, Parfait Guiagon, Christ Inao Oulaï, Franck Kessié, Ibrahim Sangaré, Jean-Michaël Seri.
Forwards: Simon Adingra, Ange-Yoan Bonny, Amad Diallo, Oumar Diakité, Yan Diomandé, Evann Guessand, Nicolas Pépé, Bazoumana Touré, Elye Wahi.
Cote d’Ivoire is in Group E alongside Germany, Ecuador and Curaçao. On paper, it’s a balanced group, which could provide a genuine opportunity for the Elephants to reach the knockout stage for the first time in their history.
In previous World Cup appearances, in Germany 2006, South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014, Cote d’Ivoire never progressed beyond the group stage despite having golden-generation stars like Didier Drogba and Yaya Touré. This current generation now has a chance to achieve what previous teams could not.
Ivory Coast group-stage schedule: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador on June 14, Germany vs Ivory Coast on June 20 and Curaçao vs Ivory Coast on June 25.
The opening match against Ecuador could already prove decisive before a major showdown against Germany. Twelve years after their last World Cup appearance, the Elephants are hoping to write a new chapter in their history.
