France World Cup schedule 2026: Dates, times, more to know for Les Bleus at FIFA men's soccer tournament

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.

2026 WORLD CUP HQ: Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule

France World Cup schedule, results

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, Iraq.

World Cup 2026 Group I

France World Cup match schedule

Where to watch France World Cup 2026 games

In the United States, the World Cup will be broadcast in English on Fox, with streaming options available via Fubo, who are offering a free trial.

Here is how you can watch the action across other major territories:

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.

France World Cup snapshot 

France enters the World Cup ranked No. 1 in the world. They have 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: 1 (April 2026)
• 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)

MORE WORLD CUP NEWS:

• Updated FIFA World Rankings
• How World Cup qualifying works
• Explaining the expanded World Cup bracket
• Full list of teams to qualify for 2026 World Cup

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 27-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. Michael Olise 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, William Saliba

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): 114-35-29
• 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 Mbappe 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. Mbappe 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, Mbappe 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, and William Saliba are stars for their respective clubs. Among midfielders, Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki, and Eduardo Camavinga 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 the final list of players announced by France and Didier Deschamps on May 14. Caps and stats are correct as of May 12.

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

*Host

France World Cup 2026 betting odds

Below are the odds for France to be eliminated from each stage of the tournament. Odds are via Draftkings in the U.S., correct as of June 16.

MORE WORLD CUP NEWS:

• Last time the World Cup was in United States
• Revisiting the first World Cup in 1930
• Most World Cup wins by country
• Future World Cup locations for 2030 and beyond
• Guide to host countries, cities for 2026 World Cup