Ivory Coast Qualify for World Cup After 12-Year Absence

The Ivory Coast national team secured its place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a well-deserved 3-0 victory over Kenya in Tuesday’s match, the final round of Group F in the African qualifiers.

The Elephants approached the match with a “win only” mentality to guarantee direct qualification, particularly with Gabon closely trailing and hoping for any slip-up. 

However, the Ivorian squad, led by their coach, sealed the outcome early.

Frank Kessié opened the scoring in the 7th minute to give his team the lead, followed by Yan Diamonde adding the second goal in the 54th minute. 

Amadou Diallo completed the Ivorian hat-trick in the 84th minute, confirming the team’s superiority and right to advance.

With this victory, Ivory Coast moved to 26 points at the top of the group, one point ahead of second-placed Gabon, who defeated Burundi 2-0.

This marks Ivory Coast’s fourth-ever World Cup qualification, returning to the global stage after a 12-year absence since their last appearance in Brazil 2014.