2018 world champion and 2022 world vice-champion (beaten on penalties by Lionel Messi’s Argentina), Didier Deschamps’ French team should not be missed during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers organized in Canada, Mexico and the United States. 30 years ago, the Blues did not make the trip to America for the World Cup USA 94 due to the nightmarish France-Bulgaria of November 17, 1993 at the Parc des Princes, with a fatal goal from Emil Kostadinov scored in the 90th minute.
For 2026, France will know its qualifying group during the draw carried out by Fifa on Friday next week (December 13, from 12 p.m.). Mike Maignan and his teammates will be in a strong position since they are part of the top seeds alongside Spain, England, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Croatia, Switzerland, Denmark and Austria, teams they will not face during this qualifying campaign. It will only be necessary to avoid Poland, Ukraine or Norway in hat 2.
The Blues against Sweden, Israel and Bulgaria?
Didier Deschamps can not only find Bulgaria, which appears in hat 4 of the draw, but also Sweden and Israel, present respectively in hats 2 and 3. Three opponents who sent French football into disaster ago 30 years old. First in August 1993, Gérard Houllier’s Blues conceded a draw in the 89th minute (1-1) in the suburbs of Stockholm. Then, in a good position before the last two days, David Ginola and his teammates lost at the Park against Israel (2-3), which had never won a European match in its history, before sinking against the Bulgarians (1 -2) inside PSG despite an opening score from Eric Cantona.
In nine days, the France team will know its two possible groups for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The Blues will inherit a group of four in the event of qualification for the Final Four of the Nations League next March at the expense of Croatia, but will be placed in a group of five to start at least in June in the event of elimination against the Croatians. The 12 group winners will qualify for the World Cup/Copa Mundial 26 and the runners-up will compete in the European play-offs alongside four draftees defined by the Nations League.
