Cote d’Ivoire vs Ecuador Key Stats: FIFA World Cup 2026
by Trystan Pugh ·
Updated
Below you can find key stats for Cote d’Ivoire vs Ecuador. From historical trends to player milestones, we have you covered for every match at FIFA World Cup 2026 in USA, Canada & Mexico!
- This is the first ever meeting between Cote d'Ivoire and Ecuador, with no previous encounters in either friendly or competitive play.
- Cote d’Ivoire have ended a 12-year absence from the FIFA World Cup and are making their fourth appearance at the finals. Their previous three instalments came in succession from 2006 to 2014.
- Although Les Elephants exited after the group stage in all three appearances at the global showpiece, they did return home with a win on their record on each occasion, with triumphs against Serbia and Montenegro (3-2 in 2006), Korea DPR (3-0 in 2010) and Japan (2-1 in 2014).
- Cote d’Ivoire secured their place at the FIFA World Cup 2026, with a 3-0 victory over Kenya in their final fixture in Group F of CAF qualifying, meaning they topped the section ahead of Gabon. Remarkably, they did not concede a goal in their entire qualifying campaign of ten matches – a feat only matched by Tunisia.
- Cote d’Ivoire have lost all three of their FIFA World Cup matches against South American opposition — each against a different team: 2-1 to Argentina in 2006, 3-1 to Brazil in 2010, and 2-1 to Colombia in 2014.
- Cote d’Ivoire have only failed to score in one of their previous nine FIFA World Cup matches.
- Cote d’Ivoire’s nine previous FIFA World Cup matches have produced 27 goals in total, an average of three per game.
- Cote d’Ivoire have recorded one win, one draw and one loss in their FIFA World Cup opening fixtures, with their sole victory arriving in their latest participation when they beat Japan 2-1.
- Cote d’Ivoire have scored first in just one of their nine FIFA World Cup fixtures, doing so in their 3-0 win against Korea DPR in 2010. They overturned a two‑goal deficit to defeat Serbia and Montenegro 3-2 in 2006 and came from behind again to beat Japan 2-1 in 2014.
- Emerse Fae is the first person to represent Cote d’Ivoire at a FIFA World Cup as both a player and a head coach. He was part of the 2006 squad — though he did not make an appearance — and now leads the team as head coach in 2026.
- This is Ecuador’s fifth FIFA World Cup. Having also participated at Qatar 2022, they are featuring in successive editions for the second time and have only missed out on the finals twice since making their debut at the 2002 edition.
- Ecuador’s best FIFA World Cup performance came in 2006, when they reached the round of 16. They finished as runners‑up to host nation Germany in a group also featuring Poland and Costa Rica, before falling 1-0 to England in the knockout stage.
- Ecuador’s all-time leading scorer Enner Valencia is also the record marksman for his country at the World Cup with a total of six goals; he notched three goals at both the 2014 and the 2022 editions.
- La Tri impressively finished in second place in the South American qualifying tournament for the 2026 finals and had the fewest defeats (two) and the fewest goals conceded (five) of all ten teams.
- Ecuador’s only previous FIFA World Cup match against an African team was their 2-1 defeat to Senegal in their final group fixture at Qatar 2022.
- Despite losing their final group match at Qatar 2022 (2-1 v. Senegal), Ecuador have been beaten in only three of their last ten FIFA World Cup group stage games (W5 D2).
- Ecuador have only failed to score in two of their last 11 FIFA World Cup group stage matches.
- Ecuador have been successful in two of their last three FIFA World Cup openers, most recently beginning their 2022 campaign with a 2-0 win against hosts Qatar.
- Odilon Kossounou (Cote d’Ivoire) and Piero Hincapie (Ecuador) were Bayer Leverkusen team-mates from 2021-24, winning the German league and cup double together in 2023/24.
- At 19 years and 212 days, Yan Diomande could become the first teenager to make an appearance in a FIFA World Cup match for Cote d’Ivoire.
- Enner Valencia is appearing at his third FIFA World Cup, becoming only the second Ecuadorian player to reach this milestone after Edison Mendez.
- At 19 years and 41 days, Kendry Paez could become the first teenager to make an appearance in a FIFA World Cup match for Ecuador.
