Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast enters Group E alongside Germany, Ecuador, and Curacao with legitimate aspirations of advancing beyond the group stage. For fans in Abidjan and across Cote d’Ivoire (Greenwich Mean Time, UTC+0), the North American schedule creates consistent late-night viewing demands throughout the tournament.

The Group E opener on June 14 sees Ivory Coast face Ecuador at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Kickoff is 19:00 Eastern, landing at midnight in Abidjan, technically the start of June 15. Already requiring commitment from the most passionate supporters. The second match on June 20 sends Ivory Coast to BMO Field in Toronto to meet Germany at 16:00 Eastern, which becomes 21:00 in Abidjan - the most accessible slot of the group stage for Ivorian fans. The final group match on June 25 against Curacao in Philadelphia at 16:00 Eastern translates to 21:00 in Abidjan, another evening fixture.

Ivory Coast’s football tradition punches well above the country’s size. The generation that included Didier Drogba captured global attention in the 2000s and early 2010s. The current crop of Ivorian talent, developed through European clubs, carries the expectation of continuing that tradition.

The Ivorian diaspora in France is substantial, and French-speaking supporters there will be watching at far more comfortable Central European Summer Time hours, one hour ahead of Abidjan. For fans on the ground in Abidjan, the late-night and midnight kickoffs are simply the price of following the Elephants.