World Cup 2026 qualifiers: Gabon to host Côte d'Ivoire at Franceville Stadium

Franceville Stadium is gearing up to host a major showdown as part of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The highly anticipated Gabon vs Côte d'Ivoire match is set for next September, counting as Matchday 8 in Group F.

Nestled in the heart of Haut-Ogooué province, nearly 800 km from Libreville, the Franceville Stadium boasts a capacity of around 22,000 seats and features top-tier facilities, meeting the international standards set by FIFA and CAF. While there had been some uncertainty about the venue, the Gabonese Football Federation has now put all doubts to rest. In a rather upbeat statement, they confirmed that the clash with Côte d'Ivoire will indeed take place in this iconic arena. “We’ll play in Franceville,” announced Fegafoot.

For Gabon, playing in Franceville means enjoying home advantage on familiar turf, backed by a passionate crowd eager to drive the Panthers toward qualification. As a reminder, Gabon currently sits second in the group with 15 points, just behind Côte d'Ivoire, who lead with 16. Before facing the Ivorians, Gabon will take on Seychelles on September 3 in Matchday 7 of the qualifiers.

Lydiane N'Po |

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Sports journalist specializing in African football, covering football news, exclusive stories and digital content for passionate fans of the game.