Germany vs Ivory Coast prediction, tips and odds | World Cup 2026

Germany and Ivory Coast arrive at BMO Field in Toronto on Saturday with qualification firmly in sight. Julian Nagelsmann's DFB-Team have been prolific across 10 consecutive wins heading into the tournament's second round of fixtures, while Emerse Fae's Elephants have built something rather more defensively robust, conceding only once in their last five matches and winning all of them.

Both sides claimed three points in their opening games – Germany thrashed Curacao 7-1, Ivory Coast beat Ecuador 1-0 – and another victory here could secure Group E progress before the final matchday.

Preview and form guide: Germany vs Ivory Coast

Germany are the favourites heading into this weekend's clash, and their recent results have proven their ability to win in a variety of circumstances. The 7-1 demolition of Curacao on matchday one put the DFB-Team's ruthless streak on display, while a 4-3 win over Switzerland in Basel and a 2-1 defeat of the United States in Chicago highlighted their resilience.

Nagelsmann's 4-2-3-1 system gives Germany control through the centre without sacrificing width or the creativity that runs through the squad. Felix Nmecha and Aleksandar Pavlovic form the double pivot, providing defensive cover while allowing Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane the freedom to operate in the spaces in front of them – that trio behind the striker is one of the most technically complete in the tournament.

Wirtz, in particular, has been outstanding. The Liverpool midfielder operates from the left of the attacking three but is comfortable cutting inside or combining in tight areas, and his ability to draw defenders in before releasing Musiala or Havertz has been a recurring feature of this German setup.

Musiala as the number ten provides the link that holds the German attack together. At 23, he is already one of the most highly-regarded attacking midfielders in Europe, and his directness in one-against-one situations creates the kind of chaos that structured defensive blocks struggle to contain. Germany's pressing from the front also starts with Musiala, and it gives the side a suffocating quality when they win the ball high up the pitch.

Havertz leads the line as Germany's focal point, and his 24 international goals – including two in the tournament opener against Curacao – tell their own story about a forward who performs at his best when the stakes are highest, and Nagelsmann used him consistently in this role throughout the qualification campaign.

The one area of mild concern in Germany's recent record is at the back, as while six goals conceded across the last five matches is not a crisis, it does suggest that organised opposition can find routes through. Nathaniel Brown, operating at left back with just six senior caps to his name, is the most inexperienced member of the starting XI and Ivory Coast have the pace in wide positions to test him.

Bet365 price Germany as heavy favourites for this fixture – see our bet365 review for a full breakdown of their tournament markets.

The comparison data points to what makes this an interesting contest: Germany have outscored everyone they have faced in recent months – 19 goals in their last five matches is an extraordinary rate of output – but Ivory Coast's defensive numbers are equally striking from the opposite direction.

One goal conceded in five matches, a run during which they have kept four clean sheets, puts Fae's side among the best defensive units in the competition.

It is also notable that the sole goal Ivory Coast conceded in that stretch came in a 2-1 win against France, while Scotland and South Korea were kept out entirely, Ecuador were not allowed a sight of goal in their World Cup opener, and a pre-tournament fixture against a Philadelphia-based side also ended without the Elephants' goalkeeper being seriously tested.

The defensive structure that Fae has put in place in his 4-4-2 is one built on shape and collective discipline rather than individual brilliance, and is helped massively by Seko Fofana and Franck Kessie screening the back four and closing down the central channels that Germany's attacking midfielders prefer to exploit. Kessie in particular – now past 103 international caps – is a powerful disruptive presence who has shown throughout his career that he can unsettle technically superior opponents through physicality and work rate alone.

The width that Yan Diomande and Amad Diallo offer on each flank gives Ivory Coast a genuine threat on the counter-attack, meaning that if Germany commit numbers forward and lose the ball in midfield, the space behind the German fullbacks will become an inviting target. Diallo, operating from the right, has pace and directness that can stretch any defence, and his seven international goals – including the 90th-minute winner against Ecuador in the tournament opener – demonstrate that he carries a genuine threat at this level.

Team news: Germany vs Ivory Coast

Germany

Germany have a clean bill of health ahead of this Group E fixture, and Nagelsmann is expected to name an unchanged side from the eleven that started against Curacao. The 4-2-3-1 system has delivered results and there is no tactical or selection pressure that would prompt a significant reshuffle at this stage of the tournament.

Manuel Neuer remains in goal at 40, still Germany's first choice and the only option Nagelsmann would consider for a fixture of this importance.

Joshua Kimmich operates at right back rather than his more customary central midfield role, a decision the manager has maintained across his recent run of results, and it has given Germany a greater attacking threat from that side while preserving the Bayern Munich star's organisational qualities in defence.

The one selection question that might arise is at left back, where Nathaniel Brown was preferred for the opener ahead of David Raum, who brings 38 caps and considerably more international experience to that position. Raum has not displaced Brown across recent fixtures, so the 23-year-old Eintracht Frankfurt defender is likely to retain his place, but Ivory Coast's attacking threat on the left channel could make that contest one to watch.

Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast must plan without Evan N'Dicka, the Roma central defender, who is confirmed unavailable for this fixture. N'Dicka has accumulated 28 senior caps and would have been a central part of Fae's defensive setup, so his absence is a meaningful one heading into the most demanding fixture of the group stage.

Emmanuel Agbadou is the most likely candidate to step into the centre-back position alongside Wilfried Singo. He brings composure and a reading of the game that should allow Ivory Coast to maintain the defensive organisation that has defined their recent form, while his experience with Besiktas means he is accustomed to playing under pressure in competitive environments.

Franck Kessie is fully fit and available, and the captain's 103 international caps represent a massive bank of experience for a side that needs leadership in midfield when facing a Germany team of this quality. Seko Fofana alongside him provides the energy and athleticism to complement Kessie's physical and positional qualities.

Predicted XIs: Germany vs Ivory Coast

Germany (4-2-3-1): M Neuer; N Brown, J Tah, N Schlotterbeck, J Kimmich; F Nmecha, A Pavlovic; F Wirtz, J Musiala, L Sane; K Havertz

Ivory Coast (4-4-2): Y Fofana; G Konan, W Singo, E Agbadou, G Doue; Y Diomande, S Fofana, F Kessie, A Diallo; E Wahi, N Pepe

Head-to-head: Germany vs Ivory Coast

Germany and Ivory Coast have met just once in their entire international histories – a 2-2 draw in an international friendly in November 2009. These two sides are meeting in competitive football for the first time, which means neither can draw on shared experience in head-to-head terms.

The 2009 match was played during a period when Ivory Coast boasted one of the most talented African squads around, while Germany were in transition, several years removed from the golden generation of the early 2000s.

This Group E fixture is a first meeting between the modern versions of both nations, with Germany arriving as one of the tournament favourites, and Ivory Coast as one of its more intriguing dark horses.

The focus of this weekend's intriguing clash will be on the battle between the DFB-Team's immense attacking quality and the Elephants' stalwart defence, and both sides will be optimistic about creating new history on their way to qualifying for the World Cup's knockout stages.

Our Germany vs Ivory Coast prediction and tips

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