France heads into the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament as one of the favourites to lift the prestigious trophy.
Finalists in each of the last two World Cups, Les Bleus suffered a heartbreaking penalty defeat to Argentina following a thrilling 3-3 draw in the 2022 final, and Didier Deschamps, who is set to leave his managerial position after the World Cup, will be eager to reclaim the title after guiding France to glory in 2018.
With five wins and one draw, France finished top of European qualifying Group D and booked their place at this summer’s tournament in North America.
Deschamps’s men go into the competition at the top of the FIFA World Rankings and with an abundance of talent, especially in attack. They are among the favourites to lift the trophy on July 19, bouncing back from their defeat in 2022’s final against Argentina.
Les Bleus also head into their opening match against Senegal in great form, winning eight of the previous 10 and their only defeat over that stretch coming with a heavily rotated squad against Ivory Coast on Thursday in a friendly.
France were one of the earliest teams to announce their full World Cup squad, as Deschamps unveiled his picks on the evening of May 14.
Les Bleus will take a 26-man squad to North America, headlined by captain Kylian Mbappe and Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele, who will lead a star-studded attack for the 2018 champions.
Michael Olise, Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki, Maghnes Akliouche and Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta have also been summoned, but there is no space in the squad for struggling Tottenham Hotspur loanee Randal Kolo Muani, or the injured Hugo Ekitike of Liverpool.
Deschamps has also omitted Eduardo Camavinga from his selection, but Real Madrid teammate Aurelien Tchouameni has been called up to a five-strong midfield selection, also comprising Adrien Rabiot, Warren Zaire-Emery, Manu Kone and the veteran N'Golo Kante.
There were no real shocks in France's defensive selection, comprising Premier League quintet Malo Gusto, William Saliba, Ibrahima Konate, Lucas Digne and Maxence Lacroix, as well as Dayot Upamecano and the Hernandez brothers.
In between the posts, Mike Maignan will be backed up by number two Brice Samba and the uncapped Robin Risser, who has beaten Lucas Chevalier to a spot on the plane.
France World Cup 2026 squad
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan, Brice Samba, Robin Risser
Defenders: Malo Gusto, Lucas Digne, Dayot Upamecano, Jules Kounde, William Saliba, Ibrahima Konate, Maxence Lacroix, Theo Hernandez, Lucas Hernandez
Midfielders: Aurelien Tchouameni, Manu Kone, N'Golo Kante, Adrien Rabiot, Warren Zaire-Emery
Attackers: Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Marcus Thuram, Bradley Barcola, Michael Olise, Desire Doue, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Rayan Cherki, Maghnes Akliouche
France World Cup 2026 numbers
1: Brice Samba
2: Malo Gusto
3: Lucas Digne
4: Dayot Upamecano
5: Jules Kounde
6: Manu Kone
7: Ousmane Dembele
8: Aurelien Tchouameni
9: Marcus Thuram
10: Kylian Mbappe
11: Michael Olise
12: Bradley Barcola
13: N'Golo Kante
14: Adrien Rabiot
15: Ibrahima Konate
16: Mike Maignan
17: William Saliba
18: Warren Zaire-Emery
19: Theo Hernandez
20: Desire Doue
21: Lucas Hernandez
22: Jean-Philippe Mateta
23: Robin Risser
24: Rayan Cherki
25: Maghnes Akliouche
26: Maxence Lacroix
With such a star-studded selection of players to choose from, Deschamps will have to make extremely difficult decisions in all areas of the field, but perpetual headline-grabber Kylian Mbappe can at least be assured of his place in the XI - so long as he is fit.
Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Bayern Munich hotshot Michael Olise are attacking shoo-ins too, forcing Desire Doue, Rayan Cherki, Bradley Barcola and Marcus Thuram to fight for the final attacking spot.
Regardless of any off-field chaos at Real Madrid, Aurelien Tchouameni is a sure-fire pick in the heart of midfield, potentially alongside long-time Deschamps favourite Adrien Rabiot thanks to his stellar form for AC Milan this season.
Jules Kounde and Theo Hernandez are the standout right and left-back options respectively, but a fascinating three-way fight for central defensive starts will emerge between Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konate and William Saliba.
France has such a talented player pool that the nation could have filled out two top-tier World Cup squads. Heads were definitely turned when Eduardo Camavinga and Randal Kolo Muani, two players from the 2022 squad, were left off this time. But there is nothing controversial about Deschamps’ decision to omit both of these players, regardless of their past with the national team.
The World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
