Côte d’Ivoire Recognised as Youngest Squad at 2026 FIFA World Cup
FIFA announced on its official World Cup X account that Côte d’Ivoire will field the youngest squad in the expanded 48‑team tournament, boasting an average age of just 25.8 years.
The accolade underscores the rapid transformation of the Ivorian national team under head coach Emerse Faé, who has overseen a generational shift following the era of Didier Drogba and Yaya Touré.
Faé opted to build around a youthful core, leaving out experienced players such as 33‑year‑old Wilfried Zaha, currently on loan at Charlotte FC from Galatasaray.
Key Youngsters in the Squad
Among the standout talents is RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande, born on 14 November 2006, making him the youngest player in the team.
Other notable under‑25 players include 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).
Every player listed is still under the age of 25, reinforcing the squad’s youthful profile.
How Côte d’Ivoire Compares to Other Young Teams
FIFA’s rankings placed Ecuador as the second‑youngest squad with an average age of 26 years and 28 days, followed by Morocco at 26 years and 144 days. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tunisia, Spain, Norway and South Africa also feature among the youngest teams in the competition.
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