The Ivory Coast national team reached the elimination rounds of the FIFA World Cup for the first time in its history, after defeating Curacao 2-0 on Thursday in Philadelphia, in the third and final round of Group E in the 2026 World Cup. Nicolas Pépé scored the two goals of the match in the 7th and 64th minutes, leading his country to a historic achievement, after his previous three participations between 2006 and 2014 ended in the group stage. The Ivorian team raised its score to six points, after defeating Ecuador 1-0 and losing to Germany 1-2, ensuring its qualification to the knockout rounds and setting a date with the runner-up of Group Nine, between France or Norway.