LIVE | Azerbaijan–France: Khéphren Thuram, Maghnes akliouche and Jean-Philippe Mateta Guide the Blues
Baku, Azerbaijan – France’s already-qualified national team faces Azerbaijan this evening at the Tofik-Bakhramov Stadium, seeking to conclude their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign on a positive note. The match, kicking off at 6 p.m. and broadcast on TF1, presents an opportunity for players like Khéphren Thuram, Maghnes Akliouche, and Jean-Philippe Mateta to showcase their skills on the international stage.
Despite securing their place in the tournament-hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19-France will aim for victory, while Azerbaijan, last in the group with a single point, looks to finish with a respectable performance. Didier Deschamps’ squad defeated Ukraine 4-0 on Thursday, cementing their qualification, but will field a rotated lineup in Baku.
team Lineups:
Azerbaijan: Magomedaliyev – Badalov, Mustafazade, Krivotsyuk – G. Aliyev, Makhmudov (cap.), Khaybulayev, Dashdamirov – Nuriyev, Dadasov, K. Aliyev. (Selector: Aykhan Abbasov)
France: Chevalier – Gusto, koné (Cap.), L.Hernandez, T. Hernandez – Aklioch, Zaire-Emery, K. Thuram, Nkunku – Mateta, Lake. (Selector: Didier Deschamps)
Latvian referee Andris Treimanis will oversee the match. For those interested in upcoming sports broadcasts, a full schedule is available here. Readers can also explore an article on the growing phenomenon of ”speed watching” here.
