India, June 15 -- Ivory Coast vs Ecuador, FIFA World Cup 2026 Preview: Historically, the Ivory Coast has struggled to advance past the group stage, consistently falling victim to the limitations of the former 32-team format despite winning at least one match in every previous appearance. This current squad arrives at the 2026 finals with a renewed sense of belief, recognizing that the expanded structure offers a realistic path to the knockout rounds as one of the top third-placed teams.

With Germany widely favored to win the group, Sunday's clash between Emerse Fae's side and Ecuador is critical. The Ivorians enter the match on a four-game winning streak, but they face a formidable test against a South American opponent that has not lost...