Ivory Coast and Ecuador Advance to World Cup Knockout Stage

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Group E concluded with the synchronized advancement of three national teams to the next stage of the tournament.

In Philadelphia, the Ivory Coast national team defeated the Curaçao team with a score of 2-0. The main hero of the match was the Ivorian forward Nicolas Pépé, who scored a brace, finding the opponent's net in the 7th and 64th minutes of the match. Thanks to this victory, the African team collected 6 points and took the final second place in the table, which allowed them to overcome the group stage barrier at the World Cup for the first time in their history—their three previous attempts in 2006, 2010, and 2014 had ended in early elimination.

In a parallel clash of the matchday, the Ecuador national team caused a major sensation by beating the group leader, Germany, with a score of 2-1. The match took place at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford. The Ecuadorians conceded a quick goal as early as the 2nd minute of the match from Leroy Sané, but managed to turn the tide of the game. In the 9th minute, Nilson Angulo restored parity, and in the 77th minute, Gonzalo Plata brought the South Americans the victory with a precise strike. This success allowed Ecuador to collect 4 points and finish in third place in the quartet.

The final tournament standings in Group E were distributed as follows: Germany retained first place with 6 points thanks to better tiebreakers, Ivory Coast settled in second position (6 points), Ecuador became third (4 points), and the Curaçao team closed the table, having gained only one point.

According to the tournament regulations, the top two teams from each quartet, as well as the eight best third-placed teams, advance directly to the Round of 32. The accumulated points and goal difference guarantee Ecuador a spot among these eight.

In the first round of the playoffs, the Ivorian footballers will play against the team that takes the second position in Group I, where France and Norway feature as the main contenders. This confrontation is scheduled for 30 June and will take place at Dallas Stadium in Texas.

The current World Cup, taking place in stadiums across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is historic—it is the first time a format involving 48 national teams is being used. The planet's main football tournament will conclude with the final match on 19 July, while the national team of Argentina retains the title of reigning cup holders.