With just 36 days to go until the start of the World Cup, the Ivorian coaching staff is holding its breath. Elephants captain Franck Kessié was injured during his last match with his club, Al Qadsiah, in the Saudi league.

A worrying setback

The former FC Barcelona midfielder had to leave the field after just 32 minutes of play. Initial reports suggest he suffered a connective tissue injury in his thigh.

1. Next step: An MRI scan must confirm the severity of the injury.
2. The challenge: To determine whether the leader of the Ivorian midfield will be fit before coach Emerse Faé finalizes his official list.

Although sometimes criticized during the last AFCON, Kessié remains the undisputed cornerstone of the Ivorian tactical setup. His absence would compound the already confirmed absence of Yan Diomandé (shoulder), weakening a squad that is actively preparing.

Objective: To make history in the United States

After missing the 2018 and 2022 editions, Ivory Coast returns to the world stage with the ambition of passing, for the first time, the first round.

The program of Group E:

Date	Opponent	Place
June 14	Ecuador	Philadelphia (USA)
June 20	Germany	Toronto (Canada)
To be defined	Curaçao	-

Logistics already in place

The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) is leaving nothing to chance. Under the leadership of Idriss Diallo, the Elephants have already established their base camp in Philadelphia . They will benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, notably at the Philadelphia Union Training Facility .

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Kessié, Emerse Faé can rely on a squad brimming with talent. Players like Amad Diallo , Seko Fofana , and Simon Adingra will have to step up and carry the hopes of an entire nation if their captain is unavailable.