Hervé Renard appointed Ivory Coast head coach ahead of AFCON qualifiers

The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) has appointed Hervé Renard as the new head coach of the Ivory Coast national team, replacing Emerse Faé. The decision follows Faé's successful tenure, which included winning the Africa Cup of Nations and leading the team to the group stages of the 2026 World Cup.

Renard, who previously led Ivory Coast to an African title in 2015, will lead the team in upcoming international fixtures. Ivory Coast is scheduled to face Ghana in Abidjan and Somalia for the opening rounds of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. The team is also slated to play a friendly against Cameroon on October 3.

In Ghana, Carlos Queiroz is expected to remain as head coach of the Black Stars. Despite previous speculation regarding his resignation following the 2026 World Cup, negotiations with the Ghana Football Association have resulted in his continuation. Queiroz is expected to announce his squad for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers shortly.