2026 FIFA World Cup Philadelphia Preview: Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) will train at Union’s stadium
OnPattison‘s Matthew De George will be previewing all teams that are going to be playing in Philadelphia during the 2026 FIFA World Cup between June 14 and July 4 at Lincoln Financial Field, which for the purposes of this tournament which will be called Philadelphia Stadium.
Here’s a preview of the Ivory Coast (also known as Côte d’Ivoire).
FIFA World Ranking: 34 (up three spots from January)
Schedule: Group E
June 14 vs. Ecuador: Philadelphia
June 20 vs. Germany: Toronto
June 25 vs. Curacao: Philadelphia
Staging camp location: Subaru Park, Chester
Pre-World Cup friendlies: June 4 vs. France in Nantes
Manager: Emerse Fae
Captain: Franck Kessie
Qualification Pathway
Ivory Coast went 8-0-2 in Group F of CAF qualification, against Gabon, Gambia, Kenya, Burundi and Seychelles. It went down to the wire, with a 0-0 draw with Gabon in September still requiring Les Elephants to still win out to get the automatic spot.
World Cup History
More limited than you would think. The country wasn’t a FIFA member until after 1962, didn’t qualify at its first two chances in 1974 and 1978 and didn’t enter in 1982. After a further five qualification failures, the team made it for the 2006 World Cup, the first of three straight. It won one game at each, not emerging from the group stage at either.
Ivory Coast is back in the World Cup for the first time since 2014, having missed the last two editions.
The belies a richer continental history. Ivory Coast finished in the top four of the Africa Cup of Nations three times from 1965-70. It won the continental tournament while the country as in the throes of a civil war in 1992 and finished third in 1994. It won the African title in 2015 and 2023, the latter as host, and made the final in 2006 and 2012. In the 2025 edition, Ivory Coast lost to Egypt in a tense quarterfinal.
Stories to Watch
A midfield to build on. The strength of Ivory Coast’s roster is going to be in midfield. Franck Kessie is the captain and anchor of a 4-3-3. Seko Fofana, at 31, was the leading scorer in qualifying, through he just hopped to FC Porto on loan to find playing time. Jean Michael Seri and Ibrahim Sangare are anchors in the middle of the field, though 20-year-old Christ Inao Oulai has gotten a long look.
They won’t all be on the field at the same time, but Fae has options and the chance to rotate to navigate the group stage. Having the easiest game last in Curacao presents some odd challenges.
The Striking Puzzle
There’s really not a super established forward. Nicolas Pepe will be in the mix off a great season with Villarreal. Sebastien Haller is a stalwart but isn’t producing much in Holland. Monaco’s Simon Adingra might be the best bet.
Is It Time For a Youth Movement?
Evann Guessand is playing plenty with Crystal Palace. Bazoumana Toure is just 20 but he’s tearing it up with Hoffenheim. Yan Diomande has blown up at RB Leipzig at just 19. Ange-Yoan Bonny is 22 and is playing big minutes for Inter Milan. That’s a lot of young talent that needs a chance to shine.
A Chance at African History
It’s not a given that a country like Ivory Coast will have an African at the helm. Europeans coached each of the last three Ivorian World Cup squads, including Sweden native and former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2010. Emerse Fae is just the fourth Ivorian coach to manage the country since 2001. He was born and raised in France, but he had 41 caps for Les Elephants, part of the 2006 World Cup side.
All five African teams at the 2022 World Cup had managers from their country, and changes in Ghana assure that won’t be the case this year. But it’s a step in the right direction after decades of dependence on European coaches.
