- Nicholas Pepe returns.
- Zaha and Haller are omitted.
- Diomande and Amad Diallo are included.
- Ivory Coast will play against France in the preparation game.
Emerse Fae’s 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was never going to be announced without any form of murmuring.
The announcement has divided opinion among Ivorians and African football fans due to the omission and inclusion of some players.
The squad in the goalkeeping department includes Alban Lafont of Panathinaikos, whom Nicholas Pepe severely criticised for his inclusion in the squad for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, leading to the former Arsenal winger’s omission.
In defence, Ousmane Diomande, Guela Doue – the senior brother of PSG’s Desire Doue, Odilion Kossonou and Evan Ndicka are included while Willy Boly was omitted.
The midfield is headed by the experienced trio of Seko Fofana, Franck Kessie and Ibrahim Sangare, who were Fae’s preferred options en route to the 2023 AFCON triumph in Abidjan.
In the attack, Nico Pepe returns after missing the 2025 AFCON, while Zaha, who was part of the team in Morocco, failed to make the team. Youngsters Amad Diallo, Inter Milan’s Ange-Yoan Bonny, who recently switched nationality from France, Yan Diomande and Bazoumana Toure are all part of the team. Sabastien Haller, who played a key role in the qualification, has been omitted.
Ivory Coast will face France on 6th June in a preparation game before playing Ecuador, Germany and Curacao at the World Cup in Group E.
Ivory Coast World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana (Rizespor), Mohamed Kone (Charleroi), Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos)
Defenders: Emmanuel Agbadou (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Clement Akpa (AJ Auxerre), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting), Guela Doue (Racing Strasbourg), Ghislain Konan (Gil Vicente), Odilon Kossonou (Atalanta), Evan Ndicka (AS Roma), Wilfried Singo (Galatasaray)
Midfielders: Seko Fofana (Stade Rennais), Parfait Guiagon (Charleroi), Franck Kessie (Al Ahli), Christ Oulai (Trabzonspor), Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest), Jean-Michael Seri (NK Maribor)
Forwards: Simon Adingra (AS Monaco), Ange-Yoan Bonny (Inter Milan), Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Oumar Diakite (Cercle Brugge), Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig), Evann Guessand (Aston Villa), Nicolas Pepe (Villarreal), Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim), Elye Wahi (Nice)
