Zaha omitted from Ivory Coast World Cup squad

Ivory Coast named four Premier League players in their 26-man squad for the World Cup this summer, but there was no room for former Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha. Wolves defender Emmanuel Agbadou, Nottingham Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangare, and forwards Amad Diallo and Evann Guessand from Manchester United and Aston Villa respectively were included in the traveling party.

Zaha, 33, had been selected for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) earlier in the season, but the 36-cap winger, currently on loan with Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer from Galatasaray, did not make the cut for this summer's competition. Head coach Emerse Fae selected Seko Fofana, Jean Michael Seri, Simon Adingra, and Nicolas Pepe, all of whom have experience in the English top-flight.

Among the forwards, RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande, who has been strongly linked with a move to the Premier League this summer, was chosen alongside the uncapped Ange-Yoan Bonny of Inter Milan. Bonny, 22, completed a nationality transfer last week, having previously represented France Under-21s, and is following the path of new national team-mate Elye Wahi, who won his first cap in March in the 1-0 win over Scotland.

Pepe, 30, was included after being omitted from the winter AFCON squad, where the Ivorians were defending their title but exited at the quarter-final stage. Veteran defender Willy Boly and former West Ham striker Sebastien Haller, who scored the winning goal in the AFCON final in 2024, were also not selected.

Ivory Coast is in Group E for their fourth World Cup and will open their campaign on 14 June against Ecuador, followed by matches against Germany and tournament debutants Curacao. The World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, runs from 11 June to 19 July.

Ivory Coast World Cup squad

• Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana (Rizespor), Mohamed Kone (Charleroi), Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos)
• Defenders: Emmanuel Agbadou (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Clement Akpa (AJ Auxerre), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting), Guela Doue (Racing Strasbourg), Ghislain Konan (Gil Vicente), Odilon Kossonou (Atalanta), Evan Ndicka (AS Roma), Wilfried Singo (Galatasaray)
• Midfielders: Seko Fofana (Stade Rennais), Parfait Guiagon (Charleroi), Franck Kessie (Al Ahli), Christ Oulai (Trabzonspor), Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest), Jean-Michael Seri (NK Maribor)
• Forwards: Simon Adingra (AS Monaco), Ange-Yoan Bonny (Inter Milan), Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Oumar Diakite (Cercle Brugge), Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig), Evann Guessand (Aston Villa), Nicolas Pepe (Villarreal), Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim), Elye Wahi (Nice)

The World Cup line-up is complete.