Ivory Coast Makes History at 2026 World Cup
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sent a congratulatory message to the Ivory Coast national team after they qualified for the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time in their history. The Elephants secured their place in the Round of 32 by defeating tournament debutants Curacao 2-0 in their final Group E match.
Nicolas Pepe's Brace Seals Victory
Villarreal forward Nicolas Pepe was the hero for Ivory Coast, scoring both goals in the crucial encounter. The former Arsenal winger opened the scoring after just seven minutes and added a second midway through the second half with a composed finish. Nottingham Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangare provided the assist for the second goal with a perfectly weighted through ball that allowed Pepe to control inside the penalty area before calmly slotting past goalkeeper Eloy Room into the far corner.
Pepe's brace also saw him become only the second Ivory Coast player to score twice in a World Cup match, following in the footsteps of Aruna Dindane, who achieved the feat in a 3-2 win over Serbia and Montenegro in 2006, according to FIFA.
Group E Standings and Qualification
Ivory Coast finished second in Group E with six points, level with group winners Germany. The Elephants advanced despite losing their head-to-head meeting with Germany, as they won their other two matches. The historic qualification marks the first time the Elephants have progressed beyond the group stage in four FIFA World Cup appearances. They will face the runners-up of Group F in the Round of 32 next Tuesday in Dallas.
CAF's Congratulatory Message
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) took to social media to celebrate Ivory Coast's achievement. The statement read: "Côte d'Ivoire make it to the #FIFAWorldCup Knockouts for the first time. New ground for the Elephants." Fans reacted positively to the news, with one user, @TataKaSgibha, expressing surprise: "I am shocked, Ivory Coast never made it past the group stage? I thought we should be embarrassed for going through for the first time... this means South Africa is actually a very good team. We should be ranked higher after this World Cup." Another user, @Sipheshido, wrote: "Very good. We want more African teams to the World Cup knockouts." @NtokozoKHULE added: "Welcome the Elephants, always we pave way for others." @SidiqueSes88936 said: "Congratulations to you guys, we all believe that Africa can do it if we are determined for it."
Other African Teams in the Knockout Stage
Ivory Coast joins Morocco and South Africa, who also reached the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup after finishing second in their groups. South Africa recovered from losing their first match to co-hosts Mexico to finish second in Group A with four points, securing their place in the next round.
