Germany and Ivory Coast square off in Toronto on Saturday for control of Group E after both winning their opening games of the 2026 World Cup. The winner is guaranteed a place in the knockout stage, which the Germans have failed to reach since lifting their fourth trophy in 2014. Follow our live, minute-by-minute match commentary.
The starting XIs
Germany keep their lineup unchanged, with Kai Havertz again up front, while Amad Diallo joins the Ivory Coast attack.
Germany (4-2-3-1): Manuel Neuer – Jonathan Tah, Joshua Kimmich, Nico Schlotterbeck, Nathaniel Brown – Aleksandar Pavlovic, Felix Nmecha – Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Leroy Sane – Kai Havertz
Progressing to the knockout round would be a relief for the four-time world champions, who have endured a miserable run since their last title in Brazil.
Long the most reliable squad in European football, the Mannschaft astonishingly failed to qualify from the group stage at the last two tournaments.
Ivorians target historic first
The Elephants of Ivory Coast are gunning for their first ever qualification to the knockouts stage of a World Cup.
They will brimming with confidence after notably clinching a comeback win over France in a warm-up game just days before the tournament.
The teams
Germany have kept their starting XI unchanged from their opening game, with Kai Havertz again leading the attack.
Ivory Coast have added goalscorer Amad Diallo to their starting lineup.
Germany (4-2-3-1): Manuel Neuer – Jonathan Tah, Joshua Kimmich, Nico Schlotterbeck, Nathaniel Brown – Aleksandar Pavlovic, Felix Nmecha – Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Leroy Sane – Kai Havertz
A 5-1 rout in today’s first game has given the Dutch quite the World Cup liftoff.
Neuer’s 2009 blunder
The two teams did, however, meet in a 2009 friendly in Gelsenkirchen that saw Manuel Neuer — already the German keeper 17 years ago — hand a comical goal to the Ivorians.
That game ended 2-2.
Welcome to our liveblog
Germany take on Ivory Coast at the temporarily rebranded Toronto Stadium in just over an hour, both aiming to qualify for the knockout stage with a game in hand – as have co-hosts the United States and Mexico.
Germany thrashed debutants Curacao 7-1 in their opener, while Ivory Coast battled to a 1-0 win over in-form Ecuador. Astonishingly, they have never met before in a competitive match.
