Faé confident Cote d'Ivoire can reach first World Cup knockout stage after balanced draw

Côte d’Ivoire head coach Emerse Faé says his team will approach the 2026 FIFA World Cup with belief after being drawn into a group he considers “within our reach”.

The African champions were placed in Group E alongside Germany, Ecuador and Curaçao, giving them an opportunity to target a historic first appearance in the knockout rounds.

The Elephants, who won the 2023 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations on home soil, have never advanced beyond the group stage in their three previous World Cup appearances.

But Faé insists that with the progress African football has made in recent years, his side must embrace higher ambitions on the global stage.

Faé said the draw has given the Elephants a platform they must seize.

“It’s a group of quality, but I think we have our chances. We’ll begin against Ecuador, which is a really, really good team that plays with a lot of energy – so do we!” he said.

“Then we’ll face Germany and finally Curaçao, so it’s a group within our reach. We’ll have to be serious and give our all to qualify.

“We never made it to the knockout stages of a World Cup, so our first goal will be to make it out of the group stage.

“African football is improving a lot, and it needs to believe in itself. And Côte d’Ivoire needs to go as far as possible in this tournament.”

Côte d’Ivoire open their campaign against Ecuador before meeting four-time world champions Germany, with Curaçao completing the group.

Faé believes the South Americans’ intensity and Germany’s pedigree will test his team, but says the Ivorians have the quality and energy to compete with all three opponents.

The coach stressed that discipline, consistency and self-belief will be essential if Côte d’Ivoire are to take advantage of what he views as a balanced group.

It is a message he wants his players — many of whom are performing at high levels in Europe — to carry throughout the tournament.