France, twice crowned world champions, named their 26-player roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup starting June 11 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This event will be the last task for manager Didier Deschamps; his exit was already made public months ago. While excitement builds across continents, his farewell journey begins here. Though questions swirl about what follows, attention stays fixed on one final campaign.

Top billing goes to Kylian Mbappe, set to lead the group on the field. Ousmane Dembele brings recent Ballon d’Or success into the mix. Names such as N'Golo Kante appear alongside him, adding years of grind and a past world title. Lucas Hernandez slots in, too, another piece tied to that championship run.

France balances experience with fresh talent

Most choices felt expected, yet a few absences stood out. Despite talk of a farewell appearance, Griezmann sticks by his decision to step away post-Euro 2024. Missing entirely is Camavinga, left off the list without explanation. The overall picks leaned on safety, skipping bold moves.
Starting June 16, France opens their tournament versus Senegal. The group stage includes Iraq, then Norway, drawn into Group I together with Senegal. Matchups unfold one after another, beginning under summer skies.

Losing out on the starting spot didn’t sit well with Lucas Chevalier. Now replaced by Matvei Safonov at Paris Saint-Germain, he's been off the field lately. A noticeable name is missing once again.

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“The main criterion is sporting performance,” Deschamps explained. “I understand that Lucas Chevalier may be disappointed, but he hasn't played for several months. At the time when he could have had some playing time, he didn't get any.”

Deschamps handed Robin Risser his debut spot in a big competition following a standout season at Lens. Fresh off claiming Ligue 1’s top goalkeeper honour, the newcomer stood tall as Lens built one of the division’s sturdiest backlines.

France still packs a serious punch compared to others in the competition. Not just Mbappe and Dembele, but also fresh faces like Desire Doue now catch the eye. Michael Olise brings spark too, while Rayan Cherki adds clever movement between lines. Then there is Maghnes Akliouche, less known, yet quick to leave defenders behind. Each name offers something different when Deschamps reaches into his squad.

“I have ambition, and I want the players to have it too,” Deschamps said. “But I don't want us to lose our humility. I'm not going to hide and say we're not among the teams with the potential to become world champions.”
“But there are eight, maybe 10 teams that can say that. It's not by shouting: ‘We're the best, we're the strongest.’”

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