Curacao vs Ivory Coast FIFA World Cup 2026 Preview: Everything you need to know

World Cup - Grp. E

Philadelphia Stadium

Curacao vs Ivory Coast will kick off on 25 Jun 2026 at 16:00 EST and 20:00 GMT.

Match context and other insights

Curacao's dream is still alive. Dick Advocaat's men can still reach the knockout phase after holding Ecuador to a 0-0 draw in Kansas City on Saturday. Veteran keeper Eloy Room made an astonishing 15 saves as they held a team ranked more than 50 places higher than them to a stalemate. This is all the more impressive considering the opening day 7-1 hiding they took against Germany.

The Ivorians began with a 1–0 victory over Ecuador courtesy of a late Yan Diomande goal. On matchday 2, they conceded a stoppage-time goal to lose 2-1 to Germany.

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Curacao's key players and coach

Legendary Dutch boss Dick Advocaat will be tasked with leading the island nation on its World Cup debut. Gervane Kastaneer was a key figure in qualifying, scoring five times, while former Aston Villa star Leandro Bacuna claimed three assists. They might need to set up with a pragmatic mindset in the Americas, and goalkeeper Room will also likely be a busy man again.

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Ivory Coast's key players and coach

Man United winger Amad Diallo took a while to become a regular at Old Trafford, but now he's thriving under Michael Carrick. Ex-Brighton attacker Simon Adingra is also key to how they attack. The Monaco man is on loan in France from Sunderland. 

In the engine room, Al Ahli midfielder Franck Kessie is the fulcrum of the side. Sporting Lisbon star Ousmane Diomande is regarded as one of world football's most exciting young defenders. His namesake Yan Diomande, still just 19, is one of the most coveted wingers in Europe. He's expected to leave RB Leipzig this summer for big money.

Emerse Faé took over full-time following their chaotic 2023 AFCON triumph and turned the Ivorian side into a more defensively reliable outfit. Faé moved towards a more disciplined, defensive shape, with central defender Evan Ndicka a key pillar. 

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Likely Ivory Coast XI

Fofana; Singo, Kossounou, Agbadou, Konan; Kessie, Sangare, Oulai; Amad, Bonny, Diomande.

Likely Curacao XI

Room; Brenet, Gaari, Obispo, Floranus, Fonville; Chong, Comenencia, Bacuna, Bacuna; Locadia.

Curacao 26-man squad

Goalkeepers: Tyrick Bodak (SC Telstar), Trevor Doornbusch (VVV-Venlo), Eloy Room (Miami FC).

Defenders: Riechedly Bazoer (Konyaspor), Joshua Brenet (Kayserispor), Roshon Van Eijma (RKC Waalwijk), Sherel Floranus (PEC Zwolle), Deveron Fonville (NEC Nijmegen), Jurien Gaari (Abha Club), Armando Obispo (PSV Eindhoven), Shurandy Sambo (Sparta Rotterdam).

Midfielders: Juninho Bacuna (FC Volendam), Leandro Bacuna (Igdır), Livano Comenencia (FC Zurich), Kevin Felida (FC Den Bosch), Ar'Jany Martha (Rotherham United), Tyrese Noslin (SC Telstar), Godfried Roemeratoe (RKC Waalwijk).

Forwards: Jeremy Antonisse (AE Kifisia), Tahith Chong (Sheffield United), Kenji Gorré (Maccabi Haifa), Sontje Hansen (Middlesbrough), Gervane Kastaneer (Terengganu FC), Brandley Kuwas (FC Volendam), Jurgen Locadia (Miami FC), Jearl Margaritha (SK Beveren).

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Ivory Coast 26-man squad

Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana (Rizespor), Mohamed Kone (Charleroi), Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos).

Defenders: Emmanuel Agbadou (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Christopher Operi (Istanbul Basaksehir), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting), Guela Doue (Racing Strasbourg), Ghislain Konan (Gil Vicente), Odilon Kossonou (Atalanta), Evan Ndicka (AS Roma), Wilfried Singo (Galatasaray).

Midfielders: Seko Fofana (Stade Rennais), Parfait Guiagon (Charleroi), Franck Kessie (Al Ahli), Christ Oulai (Trabzonspor), Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest), Jean-Michael Seri (NK Maribor).

Forwards: Simon Adingra (AS Monaco), Ange-Yoan Bonny (Inter Milan), Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Oumar Diakite (Cercle Brugge), Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig), Evann Guessand (Aston Villa), Nicolas Pepe (Villarreal), Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim), Elye Wahi (Nice).

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Team news & squads

Curacao vs Ivory Coast Probable lineups

Curacao

CUW

Formation

Ivory Coast

CIV

Ivory Coast

CIV

Manager

• D. Advocaat

Ivory Coast head coach Emerse Faé has no reported injuries or suspensions ahead of this fixture. No probable starting lineup has been confirmed at this stage, though Faé is expected to name a strong side with qualification within reach. Updates will be added closer to kick-off as the squad picture becomes clearer.

Curacao manager Dick Advocaat also has no injury or suspension information listed in the available data. No confirmed lineup has been released ahead of the Philadelphia clash. Further team news will follow in the build-up to the match.

Form

Ivory Coast arrive in Philadelphia with four wins from their last five matches. Their most recent result was the 1-0 victory over Ecuador on June 14, secured through Amad Diallo's 90th-minute strike. Before that, they beat France 2-1 in a friendly on June 4, defeated Scotland 1-0, and thrashed Republic of Korea 4-0 in March. Their only defeat in that run came against Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations, a 3-2 loss in January. Across those five matches, the Elephants scored nine goals and conceded six.

Curacao's recent record tells a very different story. Advocaat's side have lost four of their last five matches, with their only win a 4-0 friendly victory over Aruba on June 7. They opened their World Cup campaign with a 7-1 defeat to Germany on June 14, and prior to the tournament were beaten 4-1 by Scotland, 5-1 by Australia, and 2-0 by China. Across those five fixtures, Curacao scored five goals and conceded 18.

Head-to-Head Record

No head-to-head data is available for previous meetings between Curacao and Ivory Coast. This Group E fixture in Philadelphia marks a notable first encounter between the two nations on the World Cup stage.

Standings

In Group E, Ivory Coast currently sit second in the standings, while Curacao are placed fourth heading into this final group fixture.