Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast enter World Cup 2026 in Group E, where the early tests are Germany, Ecuador, and Curacao. Ivory Coast have never won the World Cup and their previous finals appearances in 2006, 2010, and 2014 all ended in the group stage, despite squads packed with recognizable European-based talent. The current squad is shaped around Franck Kessie, Nicolas Jackson, and Sebastien Haller, a core that gives the team recognizable quality in the moments that usually decide group-stage matches: set pieces, transition attacks, and pressure around the box.

For this tournament, the assignment is both tactical and psychological: start quickly, protect the middle of the pitch, and make the group feel uncomfortable before the knockout picture forms. This side has enough power to challenge the group hierarchy. If Kessie controls midfield and the forwards are clinical, Ivory Coast can make a serious push for a first knockout appearance. If Ivory Coast can turn its best individual stretches into a full 90-minute platform, the campaign has room to grow beyond a simple participation story.