France has announced its full 26-player squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It’s the eighteenth time the country has qualified for the FIFA World Cup. France is a two-time champion, having won the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and 2018. In the most recent tournament in 2022, they reached the final but lost to Argentina.
Head coach Didier Deschamps, who won the tournament as a player (1998) and as coach (2018) with the French, announced the full squad earlier today. The French squad is one of the best teams in the tournament and one of the favorites to win it all. With many superstars playing across the big teams in Europe, the expectations are very high.
Leading the team is captain and superstar Kylian Mbappé. He can also become the French top scorer of all time. With 56 goals, he is only one goal behind France all time topscorer, Olivier Giroud. France will be without Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike, who is sidelined for several months after suffering an Achilles injury on April 14. A surprising absence in the 26-player squad is Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.
Voici nos 26 Bleus qui représenteront la France à la 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐞 𝐝𝐮 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 ! 🔥
#FiersdetreBleusFull Squad France For The 2026 FIFA World Cup
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Robin Risser (Lens), Brice Samba (Rennes)
Defenders: Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Lucas Hernandez (PSG), Theo Hernandez (Al-Hilal), Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool), Jules Koundé (Barcelona), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: N’Golo Kanté (Fenerbahçe), Manu Koné (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaïre-Emery (PSG)
Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco), Bradley Barcola (PSG), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Ousmane Dembélé (PSG), Désiré Doué (PSG), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Marcus Thuram (Internazionale)
Qualification For The 2026 FIFA World Cup
France had a pretty flawless path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The star-studded squad had to take on Ukraine, Iceland, and Azerbaijan to qualify for the tournament. On November 13 last year, the French secured their spot for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They beat direct concurrent Ukraine 4-0 at the Parc des Princes in Paris. Les Bleus finished top of the group with five wins and one draw against Iceland.
Five of the sixteen goals France scored in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers came from star player Kylian Mbappé. The French superstar is only 27-years-old and has already played two FIFA World Cup Finals. He won the tournament in 2018 with the French and came in second place four years ago. Having already scored twelve goals in just two World Cups, he is on the verge of becoming France’s greatest-ever goalscorer, both overall and at the World Cup. He only needs to surpass the legendary Just Fontaine, who holds the record with thirteen goals from the 1958 tournament.
2026 FIFA World Cup
The French team is part of Group I. France kicks off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on June 16, facing Senegal in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Six days later, they travel to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where they will take on Iraq. Les Bleus wrap up the group stage with a clash against fellow European side Norway on June 26. The two group winners and the eight best third-placed teams from each group will advance to the next stage.
France Schedule
- June 16 – Senegal (3 pm EST)
- June 22 – Iraq (5 pm EST)
- June 26 – Norway (3 pm EST)
France Announces Squad for FIFA World Cup