Ivory Coast have made history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, advancing to the round of 16 for the first time in the nation's footballing history after a composed 2-0 victory over Curacao in Philadelphia on June 25. Nicolas Pepe, an unlikely hero by his own recent standards, scored both goals to send Les Éléphants — the Elephants — through as runners-up in Group E with six points. The result ended Curacao's debut World Cup campaign and set up a last-16 clash against either France or Norway in Arlington, Texas, on June 30.

Pepe broke the deadlock in the seventh minute, converting at the near post after teenager Yan Diomande pounced on a Curacao defensive error and pulled the ball back from the byline. The second came in the 64th minute, when midfielder Ibrahim Sangare threaded a perfectly weighted through-ball into the box and Pepe curled a finish inside the left post. The goals were Pepe's first in competitive international football since October 2024 — a player who had failed to score in five World Cup qualifying appearances and had been left out of the recent Africa Cup of Nations squad. Curacao were not without their moments, with Leandro Bacuna threatening late in the first half and Sherel Floranus firing narrowly over shortly after the break, but the West Africans deserved their win.

The significance of the result cannot be overstated. Ivory Coast had appeared at three previous World Cups — in 2006, 2010, and 2014 — each time exiting in the group stage. Captain Franck Kessié, who made his international debut in 2014, called the qualification "a historic date that will remain marked in Ivorian football, and even in world football." Speaking after the match, he credited the team's collective spirit and humility, and paid tribute to supporters who had travelled from around the world, filling the stadium in orange. "When you have the opportunity, you have to let loose, enjoy it, play as if it were your last," he said. Kessié carries the captaincy once worn by legends Didier Drogba and Yaya Touré.

For Curacao, a small Caribbean island territory with a population of around 150,000, elimination came with a degree of pride intact. The nation had made history of its own by becoming the smallest country ever to qualify for a World Cup finals, and their campaign was managed by 78-year-old Dutch veteran Dick Advocaat, taking charge of his third World Cup side. Their exit was one of eight at the tournament's group stage.

Ivory Coast's next opponent — France or Norway — will represent another historic occasion, a knockout match at a World Cup for the very first time. Kessié struck a careful balance between celebration and focus: "It's now that it begins. We have to enjoy this victory, then from tomorrow think about the round of 16." Coach Emerse Faé's young, cohesive squad has given a nation that last appeared at the World Cup twelve years ago every reason to dream further.