Ivory Coast: Nicolas Pépé ruled out against Cameroon for family reasons

03.10.26 15:00 Friendly International

Cameroon

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Ivory Coast

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Nicolas Pépé will not take part in the friendly match between Ivory Coast and Cameroon, scheduled for this Saturday, October 3, 2026. The Ivorian striker has been allowed to leave the squad for family reasons, as his wife is about to give birth.

The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) officially announced Pépé’s departure after the match against Somalia, with the approval of head coach Hervé Renard. The player was exceptionally allowed to leave the squad so he could be with his wife.

Pépé leaves the squad after the match against Somalia

In its statement, the FIF said that Nicolas Pépé had been “exceptionally authorized to leave the Elephants’ squad” after the match against Somalia. The Ivorian body specified that the decision was made for family and personal reasons.

The Federation explained that the striker’s wife was then “about to give birth” and extended its best wishes for happiness to the player and his wife.

Pépé will therefore miss the meeting with Cameroon, which is Ivory Coast’s final match during this international window. The Villarreal striker will not be able to take part in the match with the Elephants.

Read also: Nicolas Pépé reveals why he was convinced to remain with Ivory Coast!

The birth has not yet been officially confirmed

Several posts shared on social media claim that Nicolas Pépé’s wife has already given birth to their child. This information has not been officially confirmed by the FIF in the statement announcing the player’s departure.

At this stage, only the information communicated by the Federation can therefore be accepted: Nicolas Pépé left the squad for family reasons, while his wife was about to give birth.

This departure comes a few days after the player’s comments about his international future. Pépé notably explained that his discussions with Hervé Renard had played a role in his decision to continue his international career with Ivory Coast.

Nouya M'toama

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Versatile journalist specializing in sports and political news, with extensive experience across radio, print and digital media platforms.

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