Ivory Coast Qualifies for 2026 FIFA World Cup with 3-0 Win Over Kenya

Ivory Coast secures World Cup spot with dominant victory

Ivory Coast sealed their spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a convincing 3-0 win over Kenya in their final Group F qualifier at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium. Franck Kessir, Yan Diomande, and Amad Diallo scored the goals, capping off a successful qualifying campaign for the African champions.

Nicolas Pepe's pass deflected off a Kenyan defender...

Ivory Coast has officially secured a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, thanks to their impressive 3-0 win over Kenya in their final Group F qualifying match at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium.

The African champions dominated the match, with goals from Franck Kessié, Yan Diomande, and Amad Diallo sealing their victory and marking a triumphant return to the World Cup stage after a 12-year absence.

The two teams had previously locked horns in a 0-0 stalemate. Despite this, Kenya coach Benni McCarthy cautioned the Ivory Coast, who were unbeaten in the group. The Elephants wasted no time in making their intentions clear, creating the game's first chance just five minutes into the match.

Ivory Coast Takes the Lead

Amad Diallo's first-time shot from Nicolas Pepe's pass deflected off a Kenyan defender, but Sylvester Owino inadvertently cleared the ball over the line, only for it to be disallowed. However, Ivory Coast's persistence paid off two minutes later when Amad Diallo set up Franck Kessié, who scored with a composed finish past goalkeeper Bryne Omondi.

Nicolas Pépé had an opportunity to double Ivory Coast's lead in the 17th minute, but his header from Evan Ndicka's cross narrowly missed the target. By the 20th minute, Ivory Coast's dominance was evident, with 63% possession compared to Kenya's 37%, and the Kenyans struggled to threaten the Ivorian penalty area.

Ivory Coast's relentless attacks continued into the second half, but Harambee Stars' defense held firm, denying them another goal despite two minutes of added time.

Kenya's coach, Benni McCarthy, made tactical changes at halftime, substituting Job Ochieng and Adam Wilson for Alphonce Omija and Alpha Chris Onyango. However, Ivory Coast's momentum paid off in the 53rd minute when Yan Diomande scored a stunning goal, dribbling past three defenders with a perfect cross from Ghislain Konan before finishing with his right foot.

Ivory Coast made their first substitution when Pacôme Zouzoua replaced Nicolas Pépé, while Kenya brought in midfielder Duke Abuya in place of striker Michael Olunga.

Amad Diallo atoned for his earlier missed chances with a stunning 84th-minute free-kick, curling the ball into the net from the edge of the box to seal a 3-0 win for Ivory Coast and dash Kenya's hopes of a comeback.

Ivory Coast topped the group with 26 points from eight wins and two draws, remaining unbeaten. Gabon secured the playoff spot with 25 points, finishing second, while Kenya trailed in fourth place with 12 points.

🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire secure their spot at #FIFAWorldCup 26!#WeAre26 pic.twitter.com/9K9DbvpbEG

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) October 14, 2025

Gambia Thrash Seychelles 7-0 in World Cup Qualifier

Gambia concluded their World Cup qualifying campaign with a resounding 7-0 victory over Seychelles at the Cote d'Or National Sports Complex in Mauritius. This dominant win marked a stark contrast to their previous match, where they lost 4-3 to Gabon. Meanwhile, Seychelles continued their struggles, suffering their ninth consecutive loss after being thrashed 7-0 by Ivory Coast earlier in the qualifiers.

Gambia's Adama Sidibeh opened the scoring within two minutes, and Abdoulie Manneh later added a hat-trick with goals in the 67th and 75th minutes.

The Gambia game got off to a flying start when Adama Sidibeh scored within two minutes, and he doubled the lead before halftime. Musa Barrow then scored twice in quick succession after the break. Manneh sealed the win with a treble, completing a comfortable victory for Gambia.

Gambia finished the campaign with 13 points from four wins, one draw, and five losses. Seychelles, meanwhile, ended the group stage without earning a single point, losing all 10 matches and conceding 53 goals.