The Ivory Coast World Cup 2026 squad is coming together, as the nation prepare for a first World Cup in 12 years.
Their preparations continued in November, with friendlies in the Middle East against Saudi Arabia and Oman – and as the holders of the Africa Cup of Nations, they will defend their title at the back end of the year in Morocco.
They then sacked their manager, Jean-Louis Gasset, and replaced him with Emerse Fae, who then led them to winning the tournament, knocking out holders Senegal, Mali and the DR Congo, before beating Nigeria in the final. It marked their third win at the tournament and their first since 2015.
Their squad features some real attacking firepower, with Amad Diallo, Simon Adingra, Nicolas Pepe and Simon Haller all being known to Premier League audiences.
18-year-old Yan Diomonde, who plies his trade for RB Leipzig, has made two appearances for the national team, and has netted twice giving them some youth to potentially unleash in North America.
Desire Doue's, elder brother, Guela, features in the squad, too: so how far can they go in the next 12 months?
Squad
Ivory Coast World Cup 2026 squad: The latest selection
- GK: Yahia Fofana (Çaykur Rizespor)
- GK: Mohamed Kone (Charleroi)
- GK: Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos)
- DF: Clément Akpa (Auxerre)
- DF: Ghislain Konan (Gil Vicente)
- DF: Armel Zohouri (Iberia 1999)
- DF: Odilon Kossounou (Atalanta)
- DF: Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Metz)
- DF: Guéla Doué (Strasbourg)
- DF: Emmanuel Agbadou (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
- DF: Ousmane Diomande (Sporting CP)
- DF: Evan Ndicka (Roma)
- MF: Mario Dorgeles (Braga)
- MF: Seko Fofana (Rennes)
- MF: Franck Kessié (Al-Ahli)
- MF: Ibrahim Sangaré (Nottingham Forest)
- MF: Christ Inao Oulaï (Trabzonspor)
- MF: Parfait Guiagon (Charleroi)
- FW: Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig)
- FW: Evann Guessand (Aston Villa)
- FW: Jean-Philippe Krasso (Paris)
- FW: Oumar Diakité (Cercle Brugge)
- FW: Amad Diallo (Manchester United)
- FW: Sébastien Haller (Utrecht)
- FW: Richard Kone (Queens Park Rangers)
- FW: Vakoun Issouf Bayo (Udinese)
Fixtures and results
March 30, 2026: Germany vs Ivory Coast, MHPArena, Stuttgart, Germany
African Cup of Nations 2025 – December 31: Gabon vs Ivory Coast, Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh, Morocco
African Cup of Nations 2025 – December 28: Ivory Coast vs Cameroon, Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh, Morocco
African Cup of Nations 2025 – December 24: Ivory Coast vs Mozambique, Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh, Morocco
November 18: Oman 0-2 Ivory Coast, Al-Seeb Stadium, Seeb, Oman
November 14: Saudi Arabia 1-0 Ivory Coast, Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
October 14: Ivory Coast 3–0 Kenya, Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
October 10: Seychelles 0–7 Ivory Coast, Côte d'Or National Sports Complex, Saint Pierre, Mauritius
September 9: Gabon 0–0 Ivory Coast, Stade de Franceville, Franceville, Gabon
September 5: Ivory Coast 1–0 Burundi, Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
June 10: Canada 0–0 (4–5 p) Ivory Coast, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
June 7: Ivory Coast 0–1 New Zealand, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
March 25: Ivory Coast 1–0 Gambia, Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
March 21: Burundi 0–1 Ivory Coast, Honneur Stadium, Meknes, Morocco
Manager
Who is the Ivory Coast's manager?
Emerse Fae became the first manager ever to be appointed mid-international tournament and go onto win it when he took over during the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024.
Reading fans may recognise the name, with Fae playing a single season with the Royals in 2006/07 when they were in the Premier League. However he only featured 11 times.
Since taking the role of manager of the senior Ivory Coast squad, Fae has lost just three times, and across 22 games, he team has conceded just 10 goals.
Star player
Who is the Ivory Coast's star player?
Manchester United's Amad Diallo will be key to Ivory Coast building on their recent successes.
The winger, turned wing-back, has impressed under Ruben Amorim, with the Manchester United manager providing him plenty of starting opportunities since his appointment in November 2024.
He hasn't yet managed a consistent amount of performances for the national team, but his new found importance at club level may provide the platform for more importance on the national stage.
Best XI
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