Ivory Coast's impressive run in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations has put them just a step away from a final appearance on home soil, but they must outdo DR Congo at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium on Wednesday in the second semi-final.
The Elephants' AFCON campaign so far has been anything but smooth. They fired their manager after losing their final group game 4-0 to minnows Equatorial Guinea.
They still somehow squeezed into the knockout rounds as one of the four best third-placed finishers, before interim coach Emerse Fae led them to a tense penalty shootout victory over reigning champions Senegal in the last 16.
And if that drama wasn't enough, they kept up their remarkable escape act at the Africa Cup of Nations as they rallied from behind to beat Mali 2-1 in extra time in the quarter-finals. They now face a DR Congo side in their bid to lift a third AFCON on home turf.
The Leopards also failed to impress much in the group stages, drawing all three of their games, before securing a penalty shootout win over Egypt and a comfortable 3-1 quarter-final triumph against Guinea to make it to the last four.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
Ivory Coast vs DR Congo kick-off time
| Date: | Wednesday, February 7, 2024 |
| Kick-off time: | 3:00pm ET/ 12:00am PT |
| Venue: | Alassane Ouattara Stadium |
Ivory Coast vs DR Congo is scheduled for a 3 pm ET kick-off on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, for fans in the US. The match will take place at Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
How to watch Ivory Coast vs DR Congo online - TV channels & live streams
The match will be shown live on Fubo, Fanatiz, and bein SPORTS in the US. Match highlights will be available on the platform after the game and live updates can be found here on GOAL.
If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sports.
Team news & squads
Ivory Coast team news
The hosts will be without the services of Oumar Diakite and Odilon Kossounou after they were sent off against Mali, with the former earning his second booking for removing his shirt while celebrating the winning goal. Serge Aurier will also serve a one-match ban for an accumulation of yellow cards.
Nottingham Forest defender Willy Boly is most likely to step in for Kossounou at the back, whereas Borussia Dortmund's Sebastien Haller may finally be fit to start after recovering from an ankle issue.
Ivory Coast possible XI: Fofana; Singo, Ndicka, Boly, Konan; Seri, Kessie; Pepe, Fofana, Adingra; Haller
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Y. Fofana, Ayayi, Sangare |
| Defenders: | Diomande, Konan, Singo, Kossounou, Boly, Aurier, Ndicka, Diallo |
| Midfielders: | Seri, S. Fofana, Kessie, Sangare, Doumbia, Lazare |
| Forwards: | Bamba, Konate, Krasso, Boga, Diakite, Gradel, Pepe, Kouame, Haller, Adingra |
DR Congo team news
DR Congo head coach Sebastien Desabre has no fresh injury concerns following the Leopards' comprehensive 3-1 win over Guinea in the quarter-finals, meaning former Chelsea attacking midfielder Gael Kakuta is the only injury doubt for this fixture, having missed both round of 16 and quarter-final ties.
It would not be surprising if Desabre picked the same starting lineup that defeated the National Elephants last time out.
Congo DR possible XI: M'Pasi; Kalulu, Mbemba, Inonga, Masuaku; Pickel, Moutoussamy; Elia, Bongonda, Wissa; Bakambu
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Mpasi, Bertaud, Siadi Ngusia |
| Defenders: | Inonga, Bayeye, Kayembe, Bushiri, Mbemba, Kalulu, Masuaku |
| Midfielders: | Tshibola, Diangana, Moutoussamy, Bongonda, Elia, Kakuta, Pickel, Mfulu |
| Forwards: | Katompa Mvumpa, Bakambu, Mayele, Wissa, Banza |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 18/01/23 | Congo DR 0-0 Ivory Coast | African Nations Championship |
| 13/10/19 | Ivory Coast 3-1 Congo DR | International Match |
| 20/01/17 | Ivory Coast 2-2 Congo DR | Africa Cup of Nations |
| 04/02/15 | Congo DR 1-3 Ivory Coast | Africa Cup of Nations |
| 15/10/14 | Ivory Coast 3-4 Congo DR | Africa Cup of Nations Qualification |