Germany and Ivory Coast will aim to build on their wins in Matchday of the 2026 FIFA World Cup when they clash at BMO Field on Saturday.
The games are coming thick and fast in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and Saturday will feature two eye-catching fixtures. The action on the day will start with the game between Netherlands and Sweden before continuing with Germany vs Ivory Coast at BMO Field.
Germany could not have asked for a better start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While there were some concerning moments in their game against Curacao, particularly when the minnows levelled things up in the first half, Julian Nagelsmann’s men took that as a wake-up call to clinch a 7-1 win. That extended the winning run for Die Mannschaft to ten games, reinforcing their status as a contender for the World Cup.
On the other hand, Ivory Coast played a closely contested game to kick things off at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. There was not much to separate the Elephants and Ecuador before Amad Diallo struck a late winner to secure the crucial three points. So, their exceptional run of form continued, stretching the winning run to five games, with Emerse Fae’s men keeping a clean sheet in four of those matches.
The only previous match between Germany and Ivory Coast ended in a 2-2 draw in November 2009, with Lukas Podolski scoring a late equaliser for Die Mannschaft. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Germany
Julian Nagelsmann has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Germany’s head coach should have a full-strength squad for the Group E game vs Ivory Coast on Saturday.
Nagelsmann will unlikely make many changes to the team that cruised to a 7-1 win over Curacao last week, with Manuel Neuer retaining his spot between the sticks. Germany will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Joshua Kimmich, Jonathan Tah, Nico Schlotterbeck, and Nathaniel Brown forming the backline.
As for the midfield unit, Felix Nmecha will line up alongside Aleksandar Pavlovic again, with Jamal Musiala reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Kai Havertz will lead the line for Die Mannschaft against Ivory Coast, with Florian Wirtz and Leroy Sane being the two wide attackers. So, Deniz Undav, Nick Woltemade, and David Raum will be among the backup options on the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kimmich, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Brown; Pavlovic, Nmecha; Sane, Musiala, Wirtz; Havertz
Ivory Coast
Unlike his counterpart in the German dugout, Emerse Fae has a new roster issue to worry about ahead of the trip to BMO Field. The Ivory Coast head coach may be without two players on Saturday.
Fae has been sweating over Evan Ndicka’s fitness due to a muscular issue that kept him on the sidelines against Ecuador. However, Elye Wahi is the latest absentee, as he has been denied entry to Canada. The 23-year-old was implicated over alleged involvement in spot-fixing in Ligue 1 last month, and that has led to visa issues.
Yahia Fofana is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Ivory Coast lining up in a 4-4-2 formation in front of him vs Germany on Saturday. The backline will feature Guela Doue, Wilfried Singo, Emmanuel Agbadou, and Ghislain Konan.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Franck Kessie and Seko Fofana in the central areas, with Amad Diallo and Yan Diomande being the two wingers. Finally, Ange-Yoan Bonny will replace Wahi, with Nicolas Pepe completing the numbers in the offensive unit. So, Bazoumana Toure, Evann Guessand, Ibrahim Sangare, and Christ Inao Oulai will be among the backup options on the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Yahia Fofana; Doue, Singo, Agbadou, Konan; Amad, Kessie, Sekou Fofana, Yan Diomande; Pepe, Bonny
Key Stats
- Germany and Ivory Coast have previously locked horns once, with the friendly in November 2009 ending in a 2-2 draw.
- Germany are on a ten-game winning run, keeping a clean sheet in five of those matches.
- Ivory Coast are on a five-game winning streak, keeping a clean sheet in four of those matches.
- All of Germany’s last six matches have witnessed over 2.5 total goals, with four of those games seeing them net at least four times.
- Four of Germany’s last five games saw both sides score. On the other hand, only two of Ivory Coast’s five most recent matches have followed that pattern.
Player to Watch
Deniz Undav
While Kai Havertz, Yan Diomande, and Amad Diallo were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Deniz Undav as the Player to Watch for ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 game between Germany and Ivory Coast at BMO Field.
Undav may not start on Saturday, but he has shown impeccable quality even when coming off the bench. The 29-year-old has scored in three of his last four appearances in a competitive setting, and he also found the back of the net against Curacao. With the match in Toronto likely to go down the wire, his output in the final stages will be crucial.
Prediction
Germany 1-1 Ivory Coast
Both teams showed some weaknesses and a few strengths in their opening fixtures, and those characteristics will come to the fore again this weekend. Germany’s defensive vulnerabilities will hold them back, while Ivory Coast may not have enough chemistry in the final third to repeatedly trouble Manuel Neuer.
However, Julian Nagelsmann’s men have impeccable attacking quality, while the Elephants possess remarkable defensive solidity. With all that in mind, a closely contested affair is likely to end in an entertaining draw, with Deniz Undav coming off the bench to earn a point for his team.
