Didier Deschamps has named his 26-man squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, where France will face Iraq, Norway, and Senegal in Group I. There are expectations and demands, of course,” Deschamps told TF1. “That’s also our fault, because if we’re where we are today, it’s because we’ve won a lot of matches more than our opponents. That we’re among the favourites is only natural, but there are other teams too. I could name six or seven. This is a World Cup, the biggest competition of them all. The very best teams are there.
While there was little suspense surrounding most of Deschamps’ choices. He is set to lead Les Bleus in his third consecutive World Cup a few positions caused uncertainty, notably the third-choice goalkeeper. In the end, 21-year-old RC Lens shot-stopper Robin Risser, recently voted Ligue 1’s Best Goalkeeper at the UNFP Awards, was selected behind the unbeatable duo of Mike Maignan and Brice Samba.
Goalkeepers
| Player | Club |
|---|---|
| Mike Maignan | AC Milan |
| Robin Risser | RC Lens |
| Brice Samba | RC Lens |
Defenders
| Player | Club |
|---|---|
| Lucas Digne | Aston Villa |
| Malo Gusto | Chelsea |
| Lucas Hernandez | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Theo Hernandez | AC Milan |
| Ibrahima Konaté | Liverpool |
| Jules Koundé | Barcelona |
| Maxence Lacroix | Crystal Palace |
| William Saliba | Arsenal |
| Dayot Upamecano | Bayern Munich |
Midfielders
| Player | Club |
|---|---|
| N’Golo Kanté | Al-Ittihad |
| Manu Koné | AS Roma |
| Adrien Rabiot | Olympique Marseille |
| Aurélien Tchouaméni | Real Madrid |
| Warren Zaïre-Emery | Paris Saint-Germain |
Forwards
| Player | Club |
|---|---|
| Maghnes Akliouche | AS Monaco |
| Bradley Barcola | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Rayan Cherki | Olympique Lyonnais |
| Ousmane Dembélé | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Désiré Doué | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Jean-Philippe Mateta | Crystal Palace |
| Kylian Mbappé | Real Madrid |
| Michael Olise | Bayern Munich |
| Marcus Thuram | Inter Milan |
Up front, doubts lingered after Hugo Ekitike’s Achilles tendon rupture ruled him out of the tournament. Jean-Philippe Mateta returns to the attack, having featured in three qualifiers and scored two goals. Randal Kolo Muani, who scored in the 2-0 semi-final win over Morocco at Qatar 2022, misses out after a disappointing season with Tottenham Hotspur. In contrast, Maxence Lacroix earned his place after impressing during the last international camp.
Équipe de France pour la Coupe du Monde 2026
Meanwhile, Bradley Barcola, Manu Koné, and Jules Koundé all absent through injury for the March matches against Brazil and Colombia are back. (Source: fifa.com)
“I’m very happy. It’s obviously a huge source of pride to be called up to the national team for the World Cup,” Koné told TF1. “I hope we’ll have a great tournament, especially for the coach. I think back to when I was a kid… This is very good news. Something I had been waiting for for a very long time. When you’re young, you dream about this. I’m thinking about my family and my friends who are following the squad announcement. It’s a joy for everyone.”
For the rest, the French tactician can count on the best talent his country has to offer. The most recent winner of The Best FIFA Men’s Player award, Ousmane Dembélé, will be in the squad, alongside Kylian Mbappé who is chasing major records in North America as well as phenomenon Michael Olise and Paris Saint-Germain prodigy Désiré Doué. Doué showed no fear at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, from which he walked away with the FIFA Best Young Player Award presented by Panini.
FIFA World Cup 2026: