World Cup 2026 qualifiers: Wilfried Singo did not respond to Faé's call-up | OneFootball

Galatasaray defender absent against Burundi, no official explanation

World Cup 2026 qualifiers: Wilfried Singo did not respond to Faé's call-up

Wilfried Singo appears to have chosen not to join the Ivorian national team for the 7th and 8th rounds of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The Galatasaray defender has remained in Istanbul with his new club, where he continues training ahead of the league's resumption.

Wilfried Singo was originally expected to be part of the Elephants squad to face Burundi on September 5 and then Gabon on September 9. The right-back, who recently moved from AS Monaco to the Turkish side for €30 million, was included in the official list of 26 players called up by Emerse Faé on August 27 for the 7th and 8th qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup.

Yet, on the eve of the first match against Burundi, there was no sign of the defender in the Elephants' camp. The mystery deepened when Galatasaray published a photo of the player in training on September 4, confirming his presence at the club. This detail is all the more surprising since the head coach has not announced any withdrawal or injury concerning Singo.

The Ivorian Football Federation has not released any statement to clarify his absence, and local media have not reported any information on the matter.