M’bérié wins inaugural Essé N’Cho Fernand Cup

M’bérié are the first winners of the Essé N’Cho Fernand Cup, giving the new maracana tournament a local champion while reinforcing its message of solidarity among communities in Côte d’Ivoire’s Morié canton. The competition was held in tribute to the late Essé N’Cho Fernand.

M’bérié secured the title on Friday, 11 September 2026, with a 1-0 victory over Arraguié in the final played in M’bérié, in Agboville department. The tournament ran from 15 August to 11 September and used a straight knockout format.

Eight teams from four villages took part: M’bérié, Arraguié, Okouguié and Séguié. The final brought the inaugural edition to a competitive close, with organisers placing equal emphasis on fair play and relations between the participating communities.

Essé Jean-Marie organised the event to honour his father, Essé N’Cho Fernand. Alongside the football programme, the organisers and their partners distributed school kits to pupils during the back-to-school period and gave pagnes to women. Co-patrons Edi N’Cho, president of Agboville’s municipal youth union, and Ekpo Alain of the African Development Bank, backed the tournament’s contribution to fraternity and peaceful coexistence in Morié.