Emerse Fae named Ivory Coast’s 26-man World Cup squad on Tuesday and included Manchester United winger Amad Diallo in a selection that mixes established names with several fresh calls. Nicolas Pepe was recalled, Wilfried Zaha was left out, and the squad now turns toward Group E, where Ivory Coast will meet Ecuador on June 15, Germany on June 20 and Curacao on June 25.
Amad’s inclusion puts him among the Premier League-linked players in a squad that also features players from the Saudi Pro League, Ligue 1 and Serie A. The winger has been a regular talking point for Ivory Coast watchers because of his profile in England, and his selection comes at a moment when Fae has made clear he is willing to back form and flexibility as he shapes his side for the tournament.
Pepe’s return is one of the main talking points in the list. The 30-year-old was left out of the Africa Cup of Nations squad last winter, with Fae hinting that off-field issues played a part in that decision. Since then, the forward has fought his way back into contention. He scored eight goals and made eight assists in Spain this season, earned an international recall for March’s friendlies, came on as a late substitute in Ivory Coast’s 4-0 defeat to South Korea on March 28 and then scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Scotland on March 31.
Zaha’s omission is more surprising because he had been brought back for the most recent Africa Cup of Nations. The forward represented Ivory Coast for the first time in more than two years last December and made three appearances at AFCON 2025 as the team reached the quarter-finals. That return did not carry over into the World Cup squad, leaving Fae without a player who had once seemed to have forced his way back into the picture.
Sebastian Haller was also left out despite his status as one of the most recognizable names in the squad’s recent history. The 33-year-old has scored 11 goals in 34 appearances for Ivory Coast and netted the winner in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final, but he had not played for the national side since November 14. His absence is a reminder that past heroics do not guarantee a place in Fae’s plans now.
The squad also includes uncapped Inter striker Anfe-Yoan Bonny, who completed a switch of international allegiance only last week after representing France at youth level, and Nice forward Elye Wahi, who made a similar switch earlier this year. Frank Kessie, who has been captain since 2024, remains central to the group, while Leipzig winger Diomande, 19, continues to attract attention after being scouted by several clubs, including Liverpool.
Ivory Coast won the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations under Fae after he took over as interim manager during the group stage, and this squad shows he is not leaning only on nostalgia from that run. He has kept faith with proven performers, reopened the door to Pepe, and shut it on Zaha and Haller. The World Cup group will show quickly whether that balance is enough.
