Sweet nostalgia and big ambitions. After a 12-year absence from the biggest stage in world football (their last appearance dating back to Brazil in 2014), Ivory Coast is making its grand return for the 2026 edition. Boosted by their recent momentum and led by coach Emerse Faé , the reigning African champions are emerging as one of the major forces on the continent.

Here is a complete overview of their qualification journey, the selected squad, their opponents and what the bookmakers think.

📊 Historic qualifications: the key figures

The Elephants dominated Group F of the African Zone (against Gabon, Gambia, Kenya, Burundi and Seychelles) with a record that is close to perfect.

1. 26 points taken out of a possible 30 (no defeats).
2. 0 goals conceded: an impressive defensive wall.
3. 9-0 against the Seychelles: a historic score, an absolute record for African qualifiers.

Game identity (statistics per match)

Emerse Faé's team is distinguished by a style of play that is both offensive and highly disciplined:

1. Shots: 12.75 per match (4.20 on target)
2. Corners: 6.11 on average
3. Discipline: 14 fouls committed for only 1.11 yellow cards per match.

The historic challenge: In its nine World Cup matches, Ivory Coast has recorded three wins, one draw, and five losses (scoring 13 goals and conceding 14). It has never advanced beyond the group stage. Could the new tournament format change that?

⚔️ Group E: A high-flying draw

For this World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, Ivory Coast has been drawn into a challenging group. The Elephants will face nations they have, for the most part, never encountered in official competition (apart from a 2-2 draw against Germany in a friendly in 2009).

The opponents in Group E:

1. Germany 🇩🇪 (The group's favorite)
2. Ecuador 🇪🇨 (A regular at world championships)
3. Curaçao 🇨🇼 (The guardian of surprises)

📋 The official list of Elephants

Emerse Faé has relied on a clever mix of experience, defensive solidity and explosive youth.

Positions	Selected players
Goalkeepers	Yahia Fofana, Alban Lafont, Mohamed Koné
Defenders	Evan Ndicka, Odilon Kossounou, Ousmane Diomandé, Emmanuel Agbadou, Wilfried Singo, Guéla Doué, Ghislain Konan, Christopher Opéri
Environments	Franck Kessié, Seko Fofana, Ibrahim Sangaré, Jean Michaël Seri, Christ Inao Oulaï, Perfect Guiagon
Attackers	Simon Adingra, Amad Diallo, Nicolas Pépé, Oumar Diakité, Yan Diomande, Elye Wahi, Evann Guessand, Ange-Yoan Bonny, Bazoumana Touré

1. Men to watch: The attacking sector will be particularly monitored, notably thanks to the form of Amad Diallo (Manchester United, 19 caps, 6 goals) and the young prodigy Yan Diomandé (RB Leipzig, 10 caps, 3 goals).

🎲 Bookmakers' odds: Ivory Coast a serious outsider

While analysts respect Ivory Coast's status, they remain cautious in the face of the weight of global giants.

1. Final victory: With odds of 300 , Ivory Coast is considered a distant surprise.
2. The Morocco 2022 effect (Access to the semi-finals): A place in the last four is priced at 30 .

Odds for 1st place in Group E:

1. 🇩🇪 Germany: 1.46
2. 🇪🇨 Ecuador: 4.91
3. 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast: 8.9
4. 🇨🇼 Curaçao: 150

The odds suggest the Elephants will battle for the second qualifying spot (odds of 2.8) . A perfect record in all three group matches is considered unlikely (odds of 19). Nevertheless, with such a talented squad and high confidence, Ivory Coast has everything it needs to defy expectations and shake up the world rankings.