The France World Cup 2026 squad is getting closer.
After finishing as runners-up in Qatar nearly four years ago, World Cup 2026 will likely be manager Didier Deschamps' swansong, with a new generation bedded in.
Lucas Chevalier will likely understudy Mike Maignan next summer after recently receiving a first cap, while Rayan Cherki, Maghnes Akliouche, Desire Doue and Khephren Thuram have all been brought in over the past 18 months.
Weirdly, former Newcastle United winger Florian Thauvin is back in the fold, while N'Golo Kante is vice-captain, despite playing out in Saudi Arabia.
There is competition in this squad like no other at the tournament: in defence, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate will battle it out for two spots, while the attacking slots boast captain Kylian Mbappe – who will likely break the all-time scoring record for Les Bleus very soon – Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Hugo Ekitike.
France take on Brazil in March in a high-profile friendly, where we'll see exactly what they're made of.
Squad
France World Cup 2026 squad: The October selection
- GK: Brice Samba (Rennes)
- GK: Mike Maignan (AC Milan)
- GK: Lucas Chevalier (Paris Saint-Germain)
- DF: Malo Gusto (Chelsea)
- DF: Lucas Digne (Aston Villa)
- DF: Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
- DF: Jules Kounde (Barcelona)
- DF: Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool)
- DF: William Saliba (Arsenal)
- DF: Lucas Hernandez (Paris Saint-Germain)
- DF: Theo Hernandez (Al-Hilal)
- MF: Khephren Thuram (Juventus)
- MF: Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)
- MF: N'Golo Kante (Al-Ittihad)
- MF: Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
- FW: Christopher Nkunku (AC Milan)
- FW: Florian Thauvin (Lens)
- FW: Hugo Ekitike (Liverpool)
- FW: Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco)
- FW: Rayan Cherki (Manchester City)
- FW: Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace)
- FW: Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain)
Fixtures and results
March 30, 2026: Venezuela vs France, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States
March 28, 2026: France vs Brazil, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States
November 16, 2025: Azerbaijan 1-3 France, Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan
November 13, 2025: France 4-0 Ukraine, Parc des Princes, Paris, France
October 13th: Iceland 2-2 France, Laugardalsvollur, Reykjavik, Iceland
October 10th: France 3-0 Azerbaijan, Parc des Princes, Paris, France
September 9: France 2-1 Iceland, Parc des Princes, Paris, France
September 5: Ukraine 0-2 France, Tarczynski Arena Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
June 8: Germany 0-2 France, MHPArena, Stuttgart, Germany
June 5: Spain 5-4 France, MHPArena, Stuttgart, Germany
March 23: France 2-0 Croatia (5-4 pens), Stade de France, Paris, France
March 20: Croatia 2-0 France, Stadion Poljud, Split, Croatia
Manager
Who is France's manager?
Didier Deschamps has been in charge of France for 13 years, and his tenure will not continue beyond the 2026 World Cup, after he confirmed he would not extend his contract when it finishes.
He has enjoyed a successful stint at the helm, winning the 2018 World Cup, bfore reaching the final of the 2022 edition, and narrowly missing out on back-to-back wins on penalties to Argentina.
His squad selection has been fairly consistent, allowing him to build effective relationships that have helped them when it comes to major tournaments.
Star player
Who is France's star player?
Kylian Mbappe has started the 2025/26 season in electric form. He scored in every game for club and country in September, totalling 12 goals in eight games, and has adapted to Xabi Alonso's style seamlessly.
Mbappe ranked at no.1 in FourFourTwo's list of the best strikers in the world right now, and he will be expected to carry on his unbelievable form for his country. He is the second outright top scorer for the French national team, just five goals behind Olivier Giroud.
His World Cup record is also outstanding. In just two tournaments, he has reached the final both times, scoring 12 goals, placing him joint-sixth on the all-time scoring charts. He also became only the second player, after Geoff Hurst, to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.
Best XI
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
