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Côte d’Ivoire head coach Hervé Renard has announced his squad for the upcoming international break, with the Elephants set to begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign against Ghana.
The two West African giants will meet on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké, with kick-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m. GMT. The match will be the opening Group C fixture for both teams.
Ghana are looking to return to the continental tournament after missing the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, while Côte d’Ivoire begin a new competitive era under Renard following his return to the national team.
Renard has included several high-profile players in his selection, with Real Madrid forward Yan Diomande among the headline names. Experienced winger Nicolas Pepe has also been called up.
Manchester United defender Leny Yoro is another notable inclusion, while the squad also features established players such as Franck Kessie, Ibrahim Sangare, Odilon Kossounou, Evan Ndicka, Emmanuel Agbadou and Guela Doue.
The 25-man squad also includes Christ Inao, who was part of Côte d’Ivoire’s 2026 World Cup campaign.
Côte d’Ivoire squad
Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana, Alban Lafont, Mohamed Kone
Defenders: Guela Doue, Kassoum Ouattara, Evan Ndicka, Ousmane Diomande, Emmanuel Agbadou, Odilon Kossounou, Christ Tape, Ghislain Konan
Midfielders: Ibrahim Sangare, Franck Kessie, Christ Inao, Patrick Zabi, Malick Yalcouye, Amadou Kone, Eddy Doue
Forwards: Yan Diomande, Nicolas Pepe, Bazoumana Toure, Yoan Bonny, Elie Wahi, Yann Gboho, Ryan Fofana
Côte d’Ivoire will face Somalia on September 29 in their second AFCON qualifying fixture before taking on Cameroon in an international friendly on October 3.
The Elephants, Ghana, The Gambia and Somalia are all in Group C of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The September 24 encounter in Bouaké will therefore mark the beginning of the qualifying campaign for both Côte d’Ivoire and the Black Stars.
