Ivory Coast’s World Cup seeding hit after costly friendly defeat to Saudi Arabia

Ivory Coast’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup have taken an unexpected turn after a friendly defeat to Saudi Arabia left the African champions facing a potential drop into Pot 4 for the tournament draw.

The Elephants, who topped Group D in the qualifiers by finishing a point ahead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Gabon, had secured their ticket to next year’s World Cup in North America with a strong and disciplined campaign.

Their performances reaffirmed their status as one of Africa’s leading sides and offered early confidence in their ability to compete on the global stage.

But in their first outing since sealing qualification, Emerse Faé’s team slipped to a 1-0 loss against Saudi Arabia, a result that may carry unexpected consequences.

The match, played as part of Ivory Coast’s build-up to both the World Cup and the defence of their Africa Cup of Nations title, saw the Elephants undone by a costly defensive lapse.

While the defeat does not change their qualification status, it has affected the team’s FIFA ranking points at a critical moment.

According to early calculations, the loss has pushed Ivory Coast into Pot 4 ahead of the World Cup draw — a position usually reserved for lower-ranked nations and one that increases the likelihood of being placed in a tougher group.

The setback comes at a time when seeding calculations are particularly sensitive, with every match influencing a team’s standing.

Ivory Coast’s current rating places them just nine points behind Tunisia, the final team projected to sit in Pot 3.

This narrow gap means the Elephants still have a chance to climb before FIFA finalises the seedings, though it will require a timely recovery and positive results in upcoming fixtures.

The situation highlights how even non-competitive fixtures can shape a nation’s prospects on the sport’s biggest stage.

Friendly matches, often used for tactical experimentation or squad rotation, can nonetheless play a decisive role in determining a team’s placement in the World Cup draw, with long-term implications for their path through the tournament.

For Faé and his players, the focus now shifts to regrouping quickly.

With an AFCON title to defend and a highly anticipated World Cup appearance ahead, Ivory Coast will be keen to ensure that a single misstep does not undermine the strong foundations they have built over the past year.