France will be chasing their third World Cup title when the tournament kicks off next month. With talent throughout the lineup, "Les Bleus" are well positioned to make a deep run in 2026.
This will also be Didier Deschamps' final World Cup at the helm. The 2026 edition will be his fourth as head coach; he led France to victory in 2018 and to the final in 2022. Reflecting on the moment, Deschamps said: "I'm aware that these will be some of my final moments. It's a special feeling. I'm not one to show my emotions, especially not in press conferences where each word could be misinterpreted, but I'm feeling good. I'm focusing all my energy on the tournament now."
The squad is headlined by the duo of Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. Mbappé will be looking to put a trophyless season at Real Madrid behind him; despite finding the net regularly, the campaign was not a memorable one for the French forward. Dembélé, meanwhile, arrives in formidable form and will be eager to carry it into the tournament. Other attacking options include Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki, Bradley Barcola, and Désiré Doué. One of the most surprising omissions is midfielder Eduardo Camavinga. "It's a tough situation," Deschamps explained. "Eduardo is coming off a difficult season in Spain where he didn't get much playing time. He's also had some injuries. It's true that he became part of the France team very early, but he's still a young player. I understand and I can imagine how hugely disappointed he must be." Randal Kolo Muani and Pierre Kalulu are among the other notable absentees.
France have been drawn into Group I alongside Senegal, Iraq, and Norway. They will open their campaign against Senegal on June 16th at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
France World Cup Squad:
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Robin Risser (Lens), Brice Samba (Rennes)
Defenders: Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich), Lucas Hernandez (Paris Saint-Germain), Theo Hernandez (Al Hilal)
Midfielders: Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), N’Golo Kante (Fenerbahce), Manu Kone (Roma), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards: Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain), Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan), Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco), Desire Doue (Paris Saint-Germain), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)