Cote d'Ivoire striker Oumar Diakité believes France are the leading contenders to lift the 2026 FIFA World Cup but says the Elephants will treat their upcoming friendly against Les Bleus as a major contest rather than a routine exhibition match.

The two nations are set to meet on June 4 at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes as part of their final preparations for the World Cup.

For both teams, the encounter provides an important opportunity to fine-tune their plans before the tournament begins. France will use the match as preparation for a group that includes Senegal, while Ivory Coast are gearing up for Group E, where they will face Ecuador, Curaçao and Germany.

In an exclusive interview with EOS Official, Diakité singled out France as the team to beat at the tournament.

"For me, France are the number one favourites to win the World Cup."

The former Stade de Reims forward pointed to the depth of talent available to the French national team as the reason for his assessment.

"Even with their second team, they can beat everybody," he added.

Although the fixture is officially a friendly, Diakité insists Ivory Coast will approach it with the mentality required for a high-stakes match.

"This game is not a friendly game."

"We will take this game like a final before the competition."

The match will also have personal significance for the 22-year-old, who developed much of his professional career in France after joining Stade de Reims from Salzburg in 2023.

Having enjoyed positive experiences at the venue in Nantes, Diakité is eager to return.

"In Nantes, I've played three times there. I've won twice and drawn once."

"I have a good record there."

However, he acknowledges that the challenge awaiting him will be on another level.

"This time around it's against Mbappé and Dembélé."

Despite the calibre of the opposition, the Ivorian forward is taking confidence from his previous experiences in French football.

"The good thing is that I scored against Mbappé and Dembélé when I was in Ligue 1."

"That will motivate me in that game."

For Cote d'Ivoire, the encounter presents an opportunity not only to sharpen their preparations but also to test themselves against one of the strongest sides in international football ahead of the World Cup.

The Elephants will begin their World Cup campaign against Ecuador before taking on Curaçao and Germany in the remaining Group E fixtures.