Willy Boly recalled to Ivory Coast squad for World Cup qualifiers

Ivory Coast national team head coach Emerse Faé has called up Willy Boly for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifier games against Seychelles and Kenya. The Nottingham Forest center-back replaces the injured Odilon Kossounou in the Elephants squad.

Boly, 34, is a surprise inclusion after missing out on national team selection for a year. The veteran defender has struggled at club level, and the availability of players such as Kossounou and Evan Ndicka largely contributed to his absence from the Ivory Coast setup.

The Ivory Coast Football Federation (FIF) stated that Atalanta’s defender is sidelined for two weeks, leading to Boly’s call-up for the crucial Group F fixtures this week. “Odilon Kossounou is unavailable for 14 days due to a muscle strain that occurred during the Champions League match on Tuesday, September 30, 2025. Consequently, Odilon Kossounou is replaced by Nottingham Forest defender Willy Boly for this October 2025 FIFA window,” the FIF announced.

Boly has started only two games in the 2025/26 season for Nottingham Forest — featuring in the EFL Cup and Europa League — but is yet to make an appearance in the Premier League this season.
Ivory Coast are top of Group F with 20 points. Maximum points in the remaining fixtures will insure them a passage to the 2026 World Cup ahead of Gabon, who sit second with 19 points.

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