Hervé Renard has been reinstated as the head coach of the Ivory Coast national football team, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) confirmed on Tuesday. This marks Renard's second tenure with the Elephants, having previously led them to victory in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
The 57-year-old French coach succeeds Emerse Fae, who was not retained despite guiding Ivory Coast to the 2024 AFCON title and their first-ever advancement to the FIFA World Cup knockout stage in June 2026. Under Fae, the team was narrowly eliminated by Norway with a 2-1 loss in the round of 32.
Renard brings extensive experience in African football, having also coached Zambia to an emotional AFCON triumph in 2012. His coaching career includes stints with Morocco, Ghana, Angola, and Tunisia, where he was appointed after Tunisia suffered a heavy defeat to Sweden at the 2026 World Cup. He also managed Saudi Arabia during the 2022 World Cup, famously leading the team to a shock win over eventual champions Argentina.
His immediate challenge will be to prepare Ivory Coast for their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ghana in September. The upcoming AFCON finals will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
