Emerse Fae had already started planning Cote d’Ivoire’s 2030 World Cup campaign

Emerse Fae says he was already preparing Cote d’Ivoire for the 2030 World Cup when his contract as head coach of the Elephants came to an end without renewal.

The decision appears to have taken Fae by surprise, with the former Cote d’Ivoire midfielder telling L’Equipe that he had been working on several long-term projects for the national team.

Fae said he had begun strengthening his technical staff and had already identified areas for development within the set-up. Those plans included training for physical trainers, improved scouting and a dedicated development programme for young goalkeepers.

He had also intended to add a nutritionist to his staff as part of the broader effort to improve the national team’s preparation and support structure.

“Je me projetais deja sur la Coupe du monde 2030”, a declare Emerse Fae a L’Equipe.

The end of Fae’s time in charge marks an unexpected change after a distinctive period at the helm of Cote d’Ivoire. He was appointed assistant coach at the start of CAN 2023, which was staged on home soil, but took temporary charge after head coach Jean-Louis Gasset was dismissed.

Fae then guided the Elephants through the remainder of the tournament and led them to the final triumph. His performance during that run earned him the position on a permanent basis.

In his next major tournament, he took Cote d’Ivoire to the quarter-finals of CAN 2025. His tenure was also defined by another historic achievement: under his leadership, Cote d’Ivoire qualified for the second round of the World Cup for the first time in the country’s history, in 2026.

Despite that progress and the work he says was already under way, Fae’s contract expired and was not extended. His comments to L’Equipe indicate that he had been looking beyond the immediate future and preparing the national team for the next major cycle.

The plans described by Fae focused not only on the senior squad but also on the wider football infrastructure around the Elephants. The proposed work included improving the expertise of support staff, developing young goalkeepers and introducing specialist nutritional guidance.

That longer-term approach was intended to build towards the 2030 World Cup, but Fae will not now oversee the continuation of those projects after Cote d’Ivoire chose not to renew his agreement.