With its fiery attack, notably composed by its star captain Kylian Mbappé, the reigning Ballon d’Or Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Désiré Doué or Rayan Cherki, the French team is one of the big favorites for the 2026 World Cup which begins in two weeks (June 11 to July 19 in Canada, the United States and Mexico). Didier Deschamps’ team will, however, have a lot to do in their group I, which is clearly the toughest group in the first round.
The 2022 world vice-champions will begin with a shock against Senegal, finalist of the last African Cup of Nations (winning on the field against Morocco but subsequently dismissed), on June 16 at MetLife Stadium, in the suburbs of New York. France will have to perform well six days later against Iraq, in Philadelphia, before a second shock against Erling Haaland’s Norway this time, south of Boston, on June 26.
With these two strong opponents, the Blues are therefore not certain of easily finishing in first place, which would allow them to face a third in the group in the round of 16 of the competition. The eight best third-place finishers will not be known until the end of the group stage, but the projections for
Football meets data give France 3rd in Group F, namely Sweden’s Viktor Gyokeres.
The Blues against Germany from the 8th?
The table for the elimination phase according to statistical calculations gives a possible route with only European opponents for Mike Maignan and his teammates. In the round of 16, the Blues could face Germany, the announced winner of Group E, for a good showing. In this quarter of the table, it is the Netherlands who could reach the quarter-finals if the Oranje dismiss Morocco in the round of 16.
Finally, the other favorite in this part of the table, for a potential semi-final, is called Spain! Brazil, England, Argentina and Portugal will all play in the other part of the bracket in case of respective first place.
