CAF Sends Message to Ivory Coast After Reaching 1st Ever World Cup Knockout Stage
- The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sent a message to Ivory Coast at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- The Elephants defeated Curacao 2-0 to reach their first-ever knockout stage at the Mundial
- Villarreal forward Nicolas Pepe scored a brace in their third match to equal the record of Aruna Dindane
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sent a message to Ivory Coast after making history by qualifying for the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time.
The Elephants headed into their final Group E match needing a victory after suffering a defeat to Germany in their second fixture.
Source: Getty Images
The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations champions rose to the occasion, defeating tournament debutants Curacao 2-0, with Villarreal forward Nicolas Pepe scoring both goals.
The former Arsenal winger opened the scoring after just seven minutes before sealing the victory midway through the second half with another well-taken finish, per NY Times.
Nottingham Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangare provided the assist for the second goal with a perfectly weighted through ball that allowed Pepe to control inside the penalty area before calmly slotting past goalkeeper Eloy Room into the far corner.
Pepe also became the only second player from his country to score twice in a World Cup match, following in the footsteps of Aruna Dindane, who bagged a brace in a 3-2 win over Serbia and Montenegro in 2006, per FIFA.
Ivory Coast finished second in Group E on six points, level with Germany, but advanced behind the group winners after losing the head-to-head meeting between the two sides.
The historic qualification marks the first time the Elephants have progressed beyond the group stage in four FIFA World Cup appearances.
Ivory Coast will face the runners-up of Group F in the Round of 32 next Tuesday in Dallas.
CAF congratulates Ivory Coast
Source: Getty Images
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sent a congratulatory message to Ivory Coast in their historic qualification to the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The African football governing body said the Elephants have made a new ground in world football. The statement read:
"Côte d'Ivoire make it to the #FIFAWorldCup Knockouts for the first time. 🇨🇮🌟
"New ground for the Elephants."
Fans have reacted to the congratulatory statement of CAF. Read them below:
@TataKaSgibha said:
"I am shocked, Ivory Cost never made it past the group stage?
"I thought we should be embarrassed for going through for the first time... this means South Africa is actually a very good team. We should be ranked higher after this world cup."
@Sipheshido wrote:
"Very good. We want more African teams to the world cup knockouts."
@NtokozoKHULE added:
"Welcome the Elephants, always we pave way for others 🇿🇦🇿🇦."
@SidiqueSes88936 said:
"Congratulations to you guys, we all believe that Africa can do it if we are determined for it."
Morocco, South Africa reach next stage
Legit.ng previously reported that Morocco and South Africa reached the knockout stage of the World Cup after finishing second in their groups.
Bafana Bafana recovered from losing their first match to co-hosts Mexico to finish second in Group A with four points and reached the next round.
Source: Legit.ng
