Preview: Germany vs Ivory Coast - prediction, team news, lineups

The top two nations in Group E butt heads at BMO Field in Toronto on Saturday, as four-time world champions Germany face Ivory Coast on matchday two at the 2026 World Cup.

A 2-2 friendly draw was played out between these sides in their only previous encounter in November 2009, with Lukas Podolski scoring twice for Die Mannschaft including a 90-minute equaliser.

Match preview

Germany recorded the biggest victory at this summer’s World Cup on matchday one, as they eased to an emphatic 7-1 win over tournament debutants Curacao in Houston last Sunday.

After Felix Nmecha netted a sixth-minute opener, Julian Nagelsmann’s side were stunned by a historic leveller midway through the first half from Curacao, the World Cup’s smallest ever nation by population.

However, Die Mannschaft swiftly returned to their devastating ways, as Kai Havertz (2), Nico Schlotterbeck, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav all got their names on the scoresheet in a deserved triumph.

Only five World Cup games this century have seen a nation score seven or more goals, and three of those have been by Germany, who can secure top spot in Group E if they beat Ivory Coast and Ecuador fail to win their match against Curacao.

Germany head into this weekend’s fixture boasting a 10-game winning streak across all competitions dating back to September 2025, scoring two or more goals in nine of those victories.

However, the ninth-highest ranked nation in the world have looked vulnerable at the back, conceding in four of their last five matches, while they have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last seven games at the World Cup since winning the 2014 final 1-0 against Argentina.

After failing to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, Ivory Coast picked up all three points in their opening match at this summer’s tournament, leaving it late to beat Ecuador by a slender 1-0 scoreline last Monday.

Ecuador smacked the woodwork three times but could not find a breakthrough, before substitute Amad Diallo netted a superb 90th-minute winner for the Elephants, ending the South American side’s 19-game unbeaten run stretched across a near two-year period.

Ivory Coast have now won at least one game at each of their four appearances at the World Cup and are in a strong position to progress to the knockout rounds for the first time in their history, needing at least a point from their remaining two games to all but secure a top-three finish.

Emerse Fae’s side are one of only two African nations, along with Ghana, to win their opening group-stage game, and they will be looking to win their fifth match in a row across all competitions when they face Germany – this run includes a 2-1 friendly victory over France a fortnight ago.

Ranked 30th in the world by FIFA, the Elephants have only won one of their previous four World Cup encounters against European opposition (D1 L2), while Germany have been beaten just once by an African nation on the global stage (W5 D2).

Germany World Cup form:

Germany form (all competitions):

Ivory Coast World Cup form:

Ivory Coast form (all competitions):

Team News

Germany boss Nagelsmann may consider handing a start to in-form Undav, who scored and registered two assists as a substitute against Curacao, while he has directly contributed to 11 goals (seven goals, four assists) in just 10 appearances for the senior national team.

However, a four-man attack of Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz is likely to remain intact, the latter is the only German player to score at each of the last four major tournaments, netting exactly twice in each.

At the age of 40, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is the oldest ever German to play at a World Cup and he is set to be protected by a four-man defence of Joshua Kimmich, Jonathan Tah, Nico Schlotterbeck and Nathaniel Brown.

As for Ivory Coast, Elye Wahi had been denied entry into Canada due to visa complications amid reports that he had been arrested on suspicion of match-fixing offences. However, he has since been given travel authorisation to enter Canada and could therefore feature on Saturday.

Fae may consider replacing the Eintracht Frankfurt striker, though, with Ange-Yoan Bonny, Oumar Diakite and Evann Guessand all pushing for a start in attack alongside Hoffenheim’s Bazoumana Toure.

Following his match-winning impact off the bench last time out, Diallo could replace Nicolas Pepe in the first XI. The Man United winger has scored six international goals since October last year, more than any other Ivory Coast player in that period.

Yan Diomande may therefore switch over to the left flank. Against Ecuador, the Liverpool-linked 19-year-old became the first player on record since 1966 to create 5+ chances (five), make 5+ tackles (five), win 10+ duels (11) and have 10+ touches in the opposition’s box (12) in a World Cup match.

Germany possible starting lineup:

Neuer; Kimmich, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Brown; Pavlovic, Nmecha; Sane, Musiala, Wirtz; Havertz

Ivory Coast possible starting lineup:

Y. Fofana; Doue, Singo, Agbadou, Konan; Diallo, Kessie, S. Fofana, Diomande; Bonny, Toure

We say: Germany 3-2 Ivory Coast

While Ivory Coast's electric frontline possesses more than enough pace to puncture Nagelsmann's vulnerable backline, the sheer creative depth of this Germany outfit should ultimately overwhelm their African counterparts.

We expect a fast start from Die Mannschaft, who have scored first in nine of their last 10 internationals, and they should ultimately prevail following a breathless contest in Canada.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.