2026 WCQ: African champions Cote d'ivoire call-up five new players for next month double-header
COTE d'ivoire coach Emerse Faé has handed call-ups to five new players including a trio of players from Ligue 1 to overhaul his squad for next month's crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Gabon and Kenya. Faé injected fresh blood into his ranks following the side's Totalenergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations triumph in February, eyeing qualification for the finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
The Elephants, who currently top Group F alongside Gabon on six points, host the Panthers in Korhogo on 7 June before an away trip to Nairobi to take on the Harambee Stars four days later.
Nice striker Evann Guessand, Le Havre leftback Christopher Operi and Lorient frontman Mohamed Bamba have all earned their first senior call-ups as part of Faé's revamp.
Guessand and Bamba both featured for France at youth level, while Bamba's former Elephants Under-23 teammate Mohamed Diomande of Rangers is another new addition after opting to represent Cote d'ivoire over Ghana.
Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath completes the influx of new faces as Faé looks to build for the future while keeping one eye on this year's qualifiers.
While the quintet of uncapped players grabbed the headlines, there were also recalls for the likes of Rennes midfielder Guela Doue, who scored a crucial goal against Uruguay in March.
However, several big names from February's AFCON triumph have missed out, including captain Serge Aurier and fellow defender Eric Bailly due to a lack of game time at club level.
They are joined by Ibrahim Sangare, Karim Konate, Christian Kouame and Jean Krasso in being omitted, while there is no place in the 26-man squad for Wilfried Zaha despite Faé holding talks with the Galatasaray winger about a potential return.
Star names such as Franck Kessie, Sebastien Haller, Evan N'dicka, Seko Fofana and Yahi Fofana have all been retained as the spine of Faé's squad for the crucial double-header.
The reigning African champions know that maximum points against Gabon and Kenya could prove crucial in their bid to secure one of the section's prized spots in North America in two years' time.
Full squad Goalkeepers : Yahia Fofana (Angers), Badra Ali (Sekhukhune), Mohamed Koné (Dunkirk) Defenders :
Willy Boly (Nottingham), Christopher Operi (Havre), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting), Odilon Kossounou (Leverkusen), Evan Ndicka (Roma), Ghislain Konan (Al-fayha), Guela Doue (Rennes), Wilfried Singo (Monaco ), Emmanuel Agbadou (Reims)
Midfielders : Mohamed Diomande (Rangers), Franck Kessie (Al-ahli), Jean Michael Seri (Hull), Seko Fofana (Al Ettifaq), Lazare Amani (Union SG), Habib Traore (Napoli)
Forwards : Mohamed Bamba (Lorient), Sebastien Haller (Dortmund), Evan Guessand (Nice), Oumar Diakite (Reims), Jeremie Boga (Nice), Nicolas Pepe (Trabzonspor), Simon Adingra (Brighton), Emmanuel Latte Lath (Middlesbrough)