France Qualifies for 2026 World Cup, Eyes Continued Success
The French national team has secured its place in the 2026 World Cup, to be held in the united States, Canada, and Mexico, after dominating its European qualifying group under the leadership of coach Didier Deschamps.This qualification marks France’s return to North American soil after missing the 1994 tournament in the USA.
This will be France’s eighth consecutive and seventeenth overall appearance in the World Cup finals. The “Roosters” demonstrated their dominance throughout the qualifiers, achieving 4 wins in 5 matches, scoring 13 goals and conceding only 3. Their only dropped points came in a 2-2 draw against Iceland, a match where captain Kylian Mbappé was absent.
Mbappé has been instrumental in the qualifying campaign,contributing 8 goals (5 goals and 3 assists) in just 4 appearances. He recently surpassed Thierry Henry as the national team’s all-time leading scorer with 55 goals, and is now closing in on Olivier Giroud’s record of 57.
The qualifiers also saw the return of Florian Thauvin, who marked his comeback after a 77-match absence with a goal against Azerbaijan. Hugo Equitiki also impressed in his first start, showcasing promising talent for the future.
France will be looking to build on their recent successes, having been runners-up in Qatar 2022 and champions in Russia 2018.Their history in the tournament includes a first title on home soil in 1998, and a memorable victory over Brazil.Earlier successes include a third-place finish in Sweden 1958, fueled by Just Fontaine’s record-breaking 13 goals, and strong performances in 1982, 1986, and 2006.
Though, the team also experienced a significant setback in South Africa 2010, following Zinedine Zidane’s retirement, where Raymond Domenech’s squad was eliminated in the first round – a result that deeply disappointed French fans. Now, with a strong squad and a proven coach, France aims to avoid a repeat of that disappointment and compete for the title in 2026.
