WAFU B U20: Ivory Coast miss out on the podium

The Ivorian side lost on penalties after a closely fought match right to the end at the Stade Charles Konan Banny in Yamoussoukro.

The Ivory Coast U20 national team ended the WAFU tournament with a defeat. Having been knocked out by Nigeria in the semi-finals a few days earlier, the U20 Elephants were unable to bounce back on Sunday 9 August in the third-place play-off.

Facing Niger, the young Ivorians tried everything but were unable to find a way through. It was an intense match, with the outcome in the balance right to the very end. Neither side managed to find the back of the net during normal time.

Ivory Coast and Niger had to go to a penalty shoot-out to decide the winner. But at the end of the shootout, it was Niger’s U20 team that came out on top.

The young Nigeriens converted three penalties, compared to two for Ivory Coast. Niger thus finished on the podium at the 2026 WAFU B U20 tournament.