France World Cup draw 2026: Group results, schedule, roster, coach and more to know
After winning the FIFA World Cup in 2018 but falling barely short as the runner-up in 2022, France is set to be among the favorites in the summer of 2026.
Longtime head coach Didier Deschamps has guided Les Bleus to consecutive World Cup finals in Russia and Qatar, and will now look to do the same in North America.
With global star Kylian Mbappe leading the way, France will be one of the most talented squads in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, having finished first in their qualification group for the tournament. Can they bring the trophy back to Paris?
The Sporting News breaks down France’s path at the 2026 World Cup, the team’s national roster and how they’ve performed throughout World Cup history.
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France World Cup draw Group I
As a Pot 1 team, France was drawn into Group I. Their competitors will be Senegal, Norway and the winner of the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff 2 qualifier, which will be either Bolivia, Iraq or Suriname.
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Senegal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FIFA Playoff 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Norway | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The FIFA Intercontinental Playoff 2 qualifier will be either Iraq, Bolivia, or Suriname.
Group match schedule
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WORLD CUP DRAW BREAKDOWNS:
Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D | Group E | Group F
Group G | Group H | Group I | Group J | Group K | Group L
France all-time World Cup groups
France has appeared in every World Cup since 1998 and has won its group in three-straight trips to the tournament.
| Year | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd place | 4th place |
| 2022 | France | Australia | Tunisia | Denmark |
| 2018 | France | Denmark | Peru | Australia |
| 2014 | France | Switzerland | Ecuador | Honduras |
| 2010 | Uruguay | Mexico | South Africa | France |
| 2006 | Switzerland | France | South Africa | Togo |
| 2002 | Denmark | Senegal | Uruguay | France |
| 1998 | France | Denmark | South Africa | Saudi Arabia |
| 1986 | Soviet Union | France | Hungary | Canada |
| 1982 | England | France | Czechoslovakia | Kuwait |
| 1978 | Italy | Argentina | France | Hungary |
| 1966 | England | Uruguay | Mexico | France |
| 1958 | France | Yugoslavia | Paraguay | Scotland |
| 1954 | Brazil | Yugoslavia | France | Mexico |
| 1938 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 1934 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 1930 | Argentina | Chile | France | Mexico |
France World Cup snapshot
France enters the World Cup draw ranked third in the world, trailing only Argentina and Spain, making them a Pot 1 team for the tournament. The three host countries were automatic Pot 1 qualifiers, then joined by the nine highest-ranked qualified teams.
France has won the World Cup twice, coming out on top of the global tournament in 1998 and 2018. They’ve also been runners-up twice, finishing second in 2006 and 2022. Entering the 2026 World Cup, France has played the final in two-straight tournaments.
- Current FIFA World Ranking: No. 3 (December 2025)
- World Cup titles: 2
- World Cup appearances (last): 16 (Qatar 2022)
- How France qualified, W-L-D: UEFA Group D winners, 5-1-0
- World Cup record:
- Games: 73 GP (39 W, 14 D, 20 L)
- Goal differential: +51 (136 GS, 85 GA)
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France World Cup 2026 preview
France has become one of football’s global powerhouses behind Didier Deschamps, and that means they’ll once again be one of the favorites in the 2026 World Cup.
Mbappe will be the centerpiece of France’s 2026 World Cup squad, as the 26-year-old captain has cemented his place as one of the best players of his generation. In the 2022 tournament, he set the record for the most goals scored in World Cup final matches with a hat trick, and he also become one of only two players to have scored in two consecutive World Cup finals.
However, while Mbappe is the star, France is talented across the board. Midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni and Michael Olise, goalkeeper Mike Maignan and attacker Ousmane Dembele are more players to watch for Les Bleus.
- Star Players: Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue
- Players to Watch: Michael Olise, Aurelien Tchouameni, William Salib
Who is France head coach?
Didier Deschamps has at the helm for France since 2012, and the 1998 World Cup-winning captain has brought great success to Les Bleus. In 2018, he led the team to its second World Cup win, becoming the third man to win the World Cup as both a player and a manager.
Under his leadership, France also won the Nations League Finals in 2021 and reached the final of Euro 2016, losing 1-0 to Portugal.
Deschamps has also been a manager for Monaco, Juventus and Marseille in the past.
- Manager (Nationality): Didier Deschamps (France)
- Date hired: July 8, 2012
- Record as national team manager (W-L-D): 112-35-28.
- Major titles since hire: FIFA World Cup 2018, UEFA Nations League 2021
- Notable victories:
- 4-3 vs. Argentina FIFA World Cup 2018
- 1-0 vs. Belgium World Cup Semi-Final 2018
- 4-2 vs Croatia World Cup Final 2018
- 2-1 vs. Spain UEFA Nations League 2021
- 2-0 vs. Morocco World Cup Semi-Final 2022
France roster at the World Cup 2026
Kylian Mbappé is the face of France’s roster, having already scored in two World Cup finals, including becoming only the second player to score a hat trick in a World Cup final in 2022 despite the losing effort vs. Argentina. Mbappé has scored 55 times in 94 appearances for his country in total, including 12 World Cup goals, good for a tie for sixth all time.
In World Cup qualifying, Mbappé unsurprisingly led the way with his five goals and three assists. However, Michael Olise (2) and Jean-Philippe Mateta (2) were behind him, while Aurelien Tchouameni missed games with a suspension and injury.
France predicted starting XI (formation: 4-2-3-1)
Maignan (GK)
Kounde, Konate, Saliba, Theo Hernandez
Rabiot, Tchouameni
Dembele, Olise, Mbappe
Thuram
Strengths:
- Depth: At virtually every position, Didier Deschamps is loaded with options. Among defenders, Jules Kounde, Ibrahima Konate, Ferland Mendy, William Saliba, and Wesley Fofan are stars for their respective clubs. Among midfielders, Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouamen are reliable options. And with Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue attacking, France doesn’t lack for star power.
- Defense: France has built a reputation of disciplined dominance, and qualifiers only furthered that narrative, as they allowed just 23 shots in six games. Deschamps’ flexible 4-2-3-1 system has allowed for a compact backline and midfield for opponents.
- Kylian Mbappe: Simply put, France should have arguably the best player in the 2026 World Cup, an advantage in itself. Mbappe has shined on the World Cup stage before, and he’s expected to do so again.
Weaknesses:
- Overreliance on Mbappe: France does not have many on-paper weaknesses as one of the most well-rounded teams out there. However, if the 2022 World Cup Final proved anything, it’s that Mbappe can’t do it all himself. He scored a hat trick, but France still fell to Argentina. France’s offense will need more production beyond the global star in 2026.
France roster for 2026 World Cup
Below is a projected 26-man roster for the 2026 World Cup. This will be updated when the squad is officially announced by France closer to the start of the tournament.
*Caps as of Nov. 16, 2025.
| Pos | Name | Club | Caps |
| GK | Lucas Chevalier | Paris Saint-Germain | 1 |
| GK | Mike Maignan | AC Milan | 37 |
| GK | Brice Samba | Rennes | 4 |
| DEF | Malo Gusto | Chelsea | 8 |
| DEF | Jules Koundé | Barcelona | 46 |
| DEF | Dayot Upamecano | Bayern Munich | 35 |
| DEF | Ibrahima Konaté | Liverpool | 26 |
| DEF | William Saliba | Arsenal | 31 |
| DEF | Lucas Hernandez | Paris Saint-Germain | 39 |
| DEF | Theo Hernandez | Al-Hilal | 41 |
| DEF | Lucas Digne | Aston Villa | 55 |
| MID | Aurélien Tchouaméni | Real Madrid | 43 |
| MID | Eduardo Camavinga | Real Madrid | 28 |
| MID | Adrien Rabiot | AC Milan | 56 |
| MID | Manu Koné | AS Roma | 12 |
| MID | N’Golo Kanté | Al-Ittihad | 65 |
| MID | Warren Zaïre-Emery | Paris Saint-Germain | 9 |
| MID | Désiré Doué | Paris Saint-Germain | 4 |
| FWD | Ousmane Dembélé | Paris Saint-Germain | 57 |
| FWD | Michael Olise | Bayern Munich | 13 |
| FWD | Bradley Barcola | Paris Saint-Germain | 17 |
| FWD | Rayan Cherki | Manchester City | 4 |
| FWD | Maghnes Akliouche | Monaco | 5 |
| FWD | Kylian Mbappé | Real Madrid | 94 |
| FWD | Khéphren Thuram | Juventus | 4 |
| FWD | Hugo Ekitike | Liverpool | 6 |
France World Cup qualifying results
France finished in first place in UEFA Group D, securing their automatic place in the draw in December by beating Slovakia. France had 16 points from six games and a six-point advantage over Ukraine.
France World Cup history
France has won the World Cup twice, first in 1998, then again in 2018.
- World Cups appearances: 16
- Best finish: Winners (1998, 2018)
- All-time goals scored: 136
- All-time goals conceded: 85
- All-time record (W-L-D): 39-14-20
| Year | Stage Reached | Eliminated By | W-D-L |
| 1930 | Group stage | N/A | 1-0-2 |
| 1934 | Round of 16 | Austria | 0-0-1 |
| 1938* | Quarter-finals | Italy | 1-0-1 |
| 1954 | Group stage | N/A | 1-0-1 |
| 1958 | Semi-final | Brazil | 4-0-2 |
| 1966 | Group stage | N/A | 0-1-2 |
| 1978 | Group stage | N/A | 1-0-2 |
| 1982 | Semi-final | West Germany | 2-1-1 |
| 1986 | Semi-final | West Germany | 3-2-2 |
| 1998* | Champions | N/A | 6-1-0 |
| 2002 | Group stage | N/A | 0-1-2 |
| 2006 | Runners-up | Italy | 4-3-0 |
| 2010 | Group stage | N/A | 0-1-2 |
| 2014 | Quarter-finals | Germany | 3-1-1 |
| 2018 | Champions | N/A | 6-1-0 |
| 2022 | Runners-up | Argentina | 5-1-1 |
*Host
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