- Curacao vs Ivory Coast: Nicolas Pepe’s brace sends Ivory Coast into the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage.
- The Elephants secured a 2-0 victory over Curaçao on Thursday to finish level on points with Group E leaders Germany, who suffered a surprise defeat to Ecuador.
- Ivory Coast become the third African nation to reach the Round of 32, joining Morocco and South Africa.
Nicholas Pepe scored twice to inspire Ivory Coast to qualify for their first-ever FIFA World Cup knockout stage with a 2-0 victory over Curacao on Thursday night in Philadelphia.
The three points for the African giants saw them draw level with Group E leaders Germany, who fell to Ecuador – only for the head-to-head record to separate the two sides.
Now, the Emerse Fae-led men are through to the Round of 32 for the very first time in their four appearances on the global stage.
Thursday night’s encounter offered very little in the opening stages, and Curacao were punished for failing to clear their lines just six minutes into the match.
Youngster Yan Diomande got a slice of luck as the ball ricocheted off him after Curacao failed to deal with the danger.
He raced to the byline before cutting the ball back for former Arsenal forward Pepe, who calmly swept home a first-time finish from six yards.
The second half followed a similar pattern, although Curacao carved out a rare opportunity through Sherel Floranus, who struck a loose ball first time from distance.
His effort flew just over the crossbar, with Ivory Coast goalkeeper Yahia Fofana scrambling across his goal.
Just when Curacao looked capable of finding an equaliser, Ivory Coast doubled their lead four minutes after the hour mark.
Pepe grabbed his second of the night with a superb finish to put his side firmly in control. The Villarreal forward was brilliantly picked out by Nottingham Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangare, whose perfectly weighted through ball split the Curacao defence.
Pepe took an excellent first touch before firing into the top corner to complete his brace.
Curaçao failed to create any further opportunities as Ivory Coast comfortably booked their place in the next round, while the Caribbean side exited the tournament with just one point.
For Ivory Coast, it was a moment of redemption after the heartbreak of the 2014 World Cup, when they narrowly missed out on the knockout stage following a final-game defeat to Greece in Brazil.
That disappointment was followed by two editions without qualification before returning in 2026.
Their progression now makes them the third African nation to reach the Round of 32, joining Morocco and South Africa.
Curacao vs Ivory Coast – FIFA World Cup Group E Lineups (June 26, 2026)
- Ivory Coast starting lineup: Yahia Fofana, Guela Doué, Ousmane Diomande, Odilon Kossounou, Christopher Opéri, Diallo, Franck Kessié, Ibrahim Sangaré, Yan Diomande, Ange-Yoan Bonny, Nicolas Pepe.
- Curaçao starting lineup: Eloy Room, Joshua Brenet, Juriën Gaari, Armando Obispo, Sherel Floranus, Deveron Fonville, Tahith Chong, Leandro Bacuna, Livano Comenencia, Juninho Bacuna, Jürgen Locadia.
Read more about other World Cup teams in 2026 below:
Morocco national football team 2026
Argentina national football team 2026
Mexico national football team 2026
Spain national football team 2026
Brazil national football team 2026
France national football team 2026
Senegal national football team 2026