FIFA Names Côte d’Ivoire Youngest Squad at 2026 World Cup

FIFA has identified Côte d’Ivoire as the team with the youngest squad at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.

 

The world football governing body made the announcement on its official World Cup X handle on Sunday, revealing that the Elephants have an average squad age of 25.8 years.

 

“Introducing Côte d’Ivoire… Youngest squad at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Average age: 25.8,” FIFA posted.

 

The announcement comes as the West African side prepares for its opening match of the expanded 48-team tournament, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, against Ecuador on Monday.

 

Under head coach Emerse Faé, Côte d’Ivoire has undergone a significant generational transition since the era of football icons such as Didier Drogba and Yaya Touré.

 

Faé has opted to build his team around emerging talents playing across Europe’s top leagues, while leaving out some experienced players, including 33-year-old forward Wilfried Zaha, who is currently on loan at Charlotte FC from Turkish side Galatasaray.

 

The youngest player in the Ivorian squad is Yan Diomande, the RB Leipzig forward born on November 14, 2006.

 

He is part of a youthful group that includes Bazoumana Touré (TSG Hoffenheim), Christ Inao Oulai (Trabzonspor), Evann Guessand (Crystal Palace), Guela Doué (Strasbourg), Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Mohamed Koné (Charleroi), Oumar Diakité (Cercle Brugge), Elye Wahi (Nice), Simon Adingra (Monaco), Ange-Yoan Bonny (Inter Milan) and Ousmane Diomande (Sporting CP), all of whom are under 25 years of age.

 

FIFA also listed other countries with notably young squads at the tournament, including Ecuador (26 years, 28 days), Morocco (26 years, 144 days), Bosnia and Herzegovina (26 years, 154 days), Tunisia (26 years, 235 days), Spain (26 years, 273 days), Norway (26 years, 293 days) and South Africa (26 years, 295 days).