Côte d’Ivoire - Ecuador: score, highlights and statistics

Ivory Coast and Ecuador meet for the very first time in a competitive fixture as they open Group E of the 2026 FIFA World Cup - a match where every point carries weight in a group that also contains Germany.

Match Info: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador

The match kicks off on Monday, 15 June 2026 at 00:00 BST (23:00 UTC on 14 June) at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The fixture is part of Group E of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Where to Watch Ivory Coast vs Ecuador?

Viewers in the United States have the widest range of options: the match is broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 and Telemundo on cable and satellite TV, while streaming options include Peacock, Fubo TV, and Foxsports.com. Spanish-language radio coverage is available on Futbol de Primera Radio.

In Canada, the game is available on TSN+. Australian fans can stream it for free on SBS On Demand, and viewers in New Zealand have access via TVNZ+. In Brazil, the match is on CazéTV, while Mexico can watch on VIX.

Across Europe, DAZN España carries the match in Spain, beIN SPORTS CONNECT in France, and DAZN Italia in Italy. Ecuador and Argentina viewers with DIRECTV subscriptions can access the game on DIRECTV GO online and DIRECTV Sports on linear television.

Ivory Coast vs Ecuador - Match Preview

Two nations collide at Lincoln Financial Field in a Group E opener that doubles as a history-making occasion: Ivory Coast and Ecuador have never faced each other in a competitive international, and the winner takes an immediate psychological edge in the race to advance.

Ivory Coast return to the World Cup for the first time in 12 years, having topped CAF qualifying Group F ahead of Gabon. Coach Emerse Fae has assembled a squad rich in Bundesliga and Premier League talent - Amad Diallo, Yan Diomande, and Guela Doué headline the attacking options - though the late omission of Sébastien Haller leaves a question mark in the centre-forward role. The Elephants' best previous World Cup performances ended at the group stage in 2006, 2010, and 2014, and they arrive in Philadelphia motivated to finally break that pattern.

Ecuador enter as the higher-ranked side at 23rd in FIFA's world rankings, with Ivory Coast at 42nd. Sebastián Beccacece's side qualified via the CONMEBOL round-robin as runners-up, playing their fifth World Cup. The midfield axis of Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea) and teenager Kendry Páez is among the most technically gifted in the tournament, while the defence - anchored by Willian Pacho (PSG) and Piero Hincapié (Arsenal) - arrived in the USA conceding just 3 goals across 5 pre-tournament matches. A victory or a draw here would set the tone for their campaigns against Germany and Curaçao to follow.

Head-to-Head: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador

The fixture in Philadelphia on 15 June 2026 is the first competitive international match ever played between Ivory Coast and Ecuador. No previous meetings exist in any official competition, making this encounter an entirely new chapter in both nations' football histories.

Notable facts about both nations' separate World Cup histories before this inaugural meeting:

• 15 June 2026 - Philadelphia - FIFA World Cup Group E: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (first ever official meeting).
• Ivory Coast played 3 previous World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014) without ever crossing Ecuador's path.
• Ecuador's 4 previous World Cups (2002, 2006, 2014, 2022) also produced no encounter with the Elephants.

Ivory Coast - Recent Form

Ivory Coast arrive in Philadelphia in sharp form, winning 4 of their last 5 matches and scoring 13 goals - a record that speaks to genuine attacking intent under Emerse Fae.

The standout result of the recent run was a commanding 4-0 away win over South Korea on 28 March 2026, followed by a composed 1-0 victory in Scotland three days later. Both performances - away from home, against European and Asian opposition - showed tactical discipline and clinical finishing. The only blemish across these 5 games was a 3-2 defeat to Egypt in the AFCON 2026 group stage on 10 January, a result that ended their title defence. They had opened that same AFCON campaign with a 3-0 win over Burkina Faso and recovered from a slow start to beat Gabon 3-2 away in their final warm-up of 2025.

Ecuador - Recent Form

Ecuador are unbeaten in their last 5 matches - 3 wins and 2 draws - with 7 goals scored and just 3 conceded, building into the tournament on the back of a genuinely solid run of results.

The most telling performances came in back-to-back friendlies in late March 2026: a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands (31 March) and a 1-1 draw with Morocco (27 March) against two strong World Cup contenders. Both results demonstrated Ecuador's ability to match top-20 nations over 90 minutes. The run was rounded off with a 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia on 31 May 2026 - the final warm-up before the tournament - and underpinned by a 2-0 win over New Zealand and a 0-0 draw with Canada from November 2025. Ecuador scored just 14 goals in CONMEBOL qualifying - the fewest among advancing teams - so the attack remains an area to watch.

Facts and Statistics

5 key facts about this Group E opener:

• This is the first ever competitive meeting between Ivory Coast and Ecuador in international football.
• Ivory Coast return to the World Cup after a 12-year absence - their last appearance was Brazil 2014.
• Ecuador are appearing at their 5th World Cup; their best finish remains the round of 16 at Germany 2006.
• Ivory Coast have won the Africa Cup of Nations 3 times (1992, 2015, 2023) but have never advanced beyond the group stage at a World Cup.
• Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia holds over 69,000 spectators and is the home stadium of NFL franchise Philadelphia Eagles.