Thursday evening, at the Parc des Princes, the France team validated its qualification for the 2026 World Cup thanks to a clear and controlled victory (4-0) against Ukraine. This success, which ensures the Blues their eighth consecutive participation in the World Cup, marks the end of a long wait and the start of a new stage for Didier Deschamps and his players. From this Thursday, the French coach could finally talk about the World Cup without conditions, a moment that he refused to talk about until qualification was assured. With this ticket for the United States, Mexico and Canada in its pocket, France can now consider the concrete preparation of the event, planned in a new format with 48 nations and three host countries. The victory against Ukraine, which confirmed the collective solidity of the Blues while revealing promising individuals, also made it possible to launch reflection on the final group and the first stages of preparation.
After the meeting on Sunday against Azerbaijan, the Blues’ upcoming games are numerous and promise to be crucial in refining the team before the American kick-off. Before the competition, the players will only meet once in March for two friendly matches, with potential matches planned but not confirmed against Brazil and the United States, probably on the East Coast, in New York, Washington, Philadelphia or Miami. These meetings will allow the staff to test different tactical schemes and refine team cohesion. At the same time, FIFA should bring together qualified technical staff for an information seminar, also in the United States, in order to prepare the logistical, climatic and regulatory aspects of this extraordinary World Cup. The FFF, already very active behind the scenes, is working on organizing optimal preparation, taking into account the long distances to be covered, the time differences and the climatic conditions that await the Blues on the American continent.
A busy schedule
The final list of players could be revealed in mid-May, probably before the last day of Ligue 1 and just before the European club finals. Didier Deschamps should retain around 26 players to compose a balanced squad, capable of meeting the physical and tactical demands of an expanded World Cup. Calendar-wise, the Blues will know their group from December 5, during the draw in Washington DC, in the company of Guy Stéphan and the president of the FFF, Philippe Diallo. The three host countries are already positioned in their groups: Mexico in A1, Canada in B1 and United States in D1. With a third place in the FIFA rankings, France will be seeded, but could face nations like Germany, Italy, Morocco or Belgium in pot 2, promising quality opponents. From December 6, the staff will have to finalize the choice of base camp, a key decision to manage acclimatization and logistics before the start of the tournament.
Between the draw and the first match, the Blues will have six months to prepare, a relatively short period of time given the scale of the competition. Two new friendlies are planned between June 1 and 9, probably in the United States in order to limit the time difference and adapt to the heat, as recommended by Didier Deschamps after his experience at the Club World Cup. FIFA guidelines require selections to arrive no later than five days before the start of the tournament, but France should set foot on American soil well before this deadline. Between the final selection, physical and tactical preparation, management of recovery times and adaptation to the climate, the French staff knows that there is still a lot of work to be done to arrive in top shape at kick-off, while maintaining the balance and freshness of a group that is already performing well but is likely to evolve over the coming months.
