Ivory Coast

The Ivory Coast heads into the 2026 World Cup hoping to finally translate their undeniable individual talent into a deep tournament run. Les Elephants have been one of Africa's most frustrating teams at World Cups -- four appearances, four group stage eliminations, despite boasting some of the continent's finest players in each of those campaigns. Their AFCON 2023 triumph on home soil was a watershed moment that demonstrated this generation's ability to win when it matters. Franck Kessie remains the team's heartbeat, a powerful and technically gifted midfielder who has performed at the highest level with Barcelona and now Al-Ahli. Sebastien Haller provides a physical presence up front with a story of remarkable resilience following his cancer diagnosis and recovery, while Nicolas Pepe offers explosive pace and trickery on the wing. The squad has a strong core of players based in Europe's top five leagues. The challenge for Ivory Coast has always been converting talent into cohesive team performances at the World Cup. Their ELO of 1676 suggests they are competitive but not in the top tier, and drawing Germany in Group E makes advancement extremely difficult. For bracket pickers, Les Elephants are a classic boom-or-bust proposition: capable of beating anyone on their day but equally capable of a limp group stage exit. Their AFCON title shows they can perform under pressure, which gives them more credibility than their World Cup history suggests.