Why does Ivory Coast’s badge have three stars on it? Elephants hope for success at the World Cup

England have endured a long 60 years of hurt in their quest to gain a second star added above their famous badge.

The Three Lions have one star to represent their one World Cup win, so how come the Ivory Coast have three above theirs?

AFP

Ivory Coast have never won the tournament, but they still have the stars sitting pretty above their logo on their shirts.

However, they have an entirely different reason for that…

Why Ivory Coast’s badge has three stars on it

The Ivory Coast badge includes three stars above it to represent their three Africa Cup of Nations victories.

Typically, it is just nations that have won the World Cup that showcase their successes with stars on their kits.

For example, England have one and Brazil have five for their historic five tournament wins over the years.

In fact, FIFA states in their rules that countries that have won the tournament are permitted to stitch in a five-pointed star.

But things are slightly different for other countries, particularly in Africa, as they add stars for different reasons.

They add a star for wins in continental competitions too.

So, therefore, Ivory Coast have three stars on their shirts for their three Africa Cup of Nations wins in 1992, 2015 and 2023.

Egypt’s badge also includes seven stars for their AFCON victories.

AFP

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Ivory Coast at the World Cup

The Ivory Coast were drawn into Group E for the World Cup, facing Germany, Curacao and Ecuador in the group stages.

They’ll take on Ecuador first on June 15, before then coming up against Germany on June 20 and Curacao on June 25.

Les Elephants have never made it out of their group in the tournament, but this is their first appearance since 2014.

The 2026 World Cup will get underway on Thursday, June 11 and run until the final on Sunday, July 19.

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