Official kit, capsule collection and concerts: The Ivory Coast Elephants are arming themselves with a "Cultural Partner" for the World Cup

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaching, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) and ORUN have entered into an unprecedented strategic partnership aimed at placing the Elephants' participation in a dynamic that goes beyond the purely sporting context.

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The ambition is to make this global event a showcase for Côte d'Ivoire's cultural, creative, and identity-based influence. In a context where major international competitions are also becoming platforms for influence, attractiveness, and image projection for nations, both parties intend to build an integrated system capable of simultaneously promoting Ivorian football, local contemporary art, cultural and creative industries, and connections with the African diaspora. Following several discussions, the Ivorian Football Federation agreed to include ORUN in the preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as an "Official Cultural Partner."

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Beyond the sporting stakes, this collaboration is based on a shared conviction: the 2026 FIFA World Cup represents a historic opportunity to boost Côte d'Ivoire's international visibility, unite fans around a collective narrative, and strengthen the goodwill associated with the Elephants. The goal is to support the national team with a promotional strategy conceived as an ecosystem of content, experiences, and cultural activations with international reach. This initiative also reflects a broader evolution in global sport, where national teams are becoming markers of cultural identity and vectors of soft power, leveraging fashion, design, music, heritage, storytelling, and influence diplomacy.

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The main strategic directions of operational deployment

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The partnership includes the deployment of a series of initiatives designed to strengthen the Elephants' brand image before and during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Among the key areas considered is the unveiling and presentation of the Elephants' official kit, designed to highlight their distinctive identity and showcase Ivorian creative expertise. The program also incorporates the promotion of local creative talent, fostering a dialogue between sport, culture, and creative excellence.

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Furthermore, the partners will collaborate on developing a narrative and editorial framework centered around the Elephants, combining audiovisual content, identity-based storytelling, digital communication, press relations, and influence strategies. The plan also includes activations targeting the general public and the Ivorian diaspora, aiming to transform the sporting momentum into a genuine moment of collective mobilization. Finally, specific support will be provided for the marketing of merchandise and a capsule collection, reflecting a dual approach of cultural and economic development.

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For ORUN, a pan-African cultural and creative house committed to developing high-impact initiatives around African heritage, youth, cultural industries and the international influence of the continent, this partnership is part of a broader desire to reposition African cultural expressions as instruments of international projection.

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A subsidiary of African Currency Network, ORUN is a pan-African cultural and creative house committed to promoting African heritage, contemporary creation and cultural and creative industries as levers for transformation, influence and international reach of the continent.