The Ivory Coast, one of Africa's traditional football powerhouses, had never reached the knockout stages of a men's World Cup – until now. A 2-0 victory over debutants Curaçao in Philadelphia on 25 June 2026, secured by a Nicolas Pépé brace, confirmed their place in the round of 32 as Group E runners-up. The achievement ended a long wait for a nation that has produced world-class talent for decades but always fallen short on the biggest stage.
Côte d'Ivoire, known as the Elephants, finished second in their group to qualify for the knockout phase for the first time in their history. The squad is young – manager Emerse Faé noted that all his players are at their first World Cup – and has shown solidarity. "Celebrate this historic qualification, like we should," Faé said afterwards. "Once we're done celebrating, we want to go as far as possible in this competition."
“Why Côte d'Ivoire's first World Cup knockout qualification matters, and how tournament expansion helped.”
The background to this breakthrough lies partly in the expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 tournament. The bigger format gave more nations, including debutants like Curaçao, a chance to participate. But it also altered the competitive landscape for teams like Côte d'Ivoire, who had long been stuck in the "upper-middle class" of global football – strong enough to qualify regularly but not quite strong enough to survive the group stage under the old system. Previous Ivorian golden generations, featuring stars like Didier Drogba and Yaya Touré, had reached the World Cup in 2006, 2010, and 2014 but never advanced beyond the group phase. This time, with a young, hungry squad and a slightly more forgiving group stage, they finally broke the cycle.
For UK readers, Côte d'Ivoire's progress matters for several reasons. The Premier League has long been a home for Ivorian talent – Nicolas Pépé, the match-winner against Curaçao, previously played for Arsenal. The country's success also highlights the evolving dynamics of international football, where tournament expansion gives more nations a realistic shot at progression. It also raises the question of whether other African teams, long seen as dark horses, can capitalise on the new format.
Q: Why had Côte d'Ivoire never reached the knockout stages before? Despite boasting some of Africa's best players – including Drogba, Touré, and Gervinho – the Ivory Coast always found themselves in difficult groups. In 2006 they were drawn with Argentina and the Netherlands, in 2010 with Brazil and Portugal, and in 2014 with Colombia and Greece. They often finished third, just short of qualification. The expanded 48-team tournament gave them a better chance by including more teams from weaker confederations.
Q: How did the 2026 World Cup expansion help teams like Côte d'Ivoire? The switch from 32 to 48 teams meant more spots for African nations (increased from five to nine) and a group stage with 16 groups of three. This reduced the number of top-heavy groups and gave teams like Côte d'Ivoire a more balanced path to the knockout rounds. The Ivorians finished second in a group that included Germany (who topped it) and debutants Curaçao, who were competitive but ultimately outclassed.
Q: What impact did Curaçao have on the tournament? Curaçao, making their World Cup debut, were one of the tournament's feel-good stories. Despite a squad made up mostly of Dutch-born journeymen, they earned a 0-0 draw against Ecuador (with goalkeeper Eloy Room making 15 saves, the most in a World Cup match since 2014) and even equalised against Germany before losing 7-1. Their spirited performances showed the potential of expansion to create memorable underdog moments.
What happens next: Côte d'Ivoire advance to the round of 32, where they will face a yet-to-be-determined opponent. Manager Emerse Faé has called on his team to continue their run, saying they want to "go as far as possible". With a young squad and growing confidence, the Elephants could become one of the stories of the 2026 World Cup.