France World Cup 2026 preview: Players to watch, group matches and squad

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France World Cup 2026 preview: Players to watch, group matches and squad

Published

7 hours ago

June 2, 2026

Departing coach Didier Deschamps looks to win second title with side led by superstar forwards Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.

Previous World Cup appearances: 16

Best performance: Winners (1998, 2018)

First appearance: 1930 (Uruguay)

Top goal scorer: Just Fontaine (13)

Most appearances: Hugo Lloris (20)

Player to watch: Kylian Mbappe

FIFA world ranking: 1

The FIFA World Cup begins on June 11. You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated World Cup 2026 page with all the latest news, match build-up and live text commentary, and keep up to date with group standings, real-time match results and schedules.

France probably possess the most richly talented pool in world football and could potentially name two or three teams capable of winning the tournament.

They boast the current Ballon d’Or winner in Ousmane Dembele, and he’s not even their best forward with Kylian Mbappe back to top form with Real Madrid despite their rocky 2025-26 season.

After the disappointments of failing to qualify for the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, France have made it to the final four times in the past seven editions.

Still, there is a sense that they should have lifted more trophies, given the talent at their disposal, and they have not always been renowned for playing the most attractive football under coach Didier Deschamps.

Deschamps is the only Frenchman to have lifted the trophy as a player and a manager and has had a glittering resume as manager since 2012. However, there has long been grumbling about him from some quarters, and he has said he will step down after the tournament.

So can Deschamps convert France’s talent into a final trophy before he leaves?

The Real Madrid forward needs just two goals to surpass Just Fontaine’s record of 13 World Cup goals for France, and he will have his eye on the Golden Ball after a blistering season in front of goal for Real Madrid.

He scored 42 goals and contributed seven assists in 44 matches in all competitions for Madrid, where he has settled in after a slow start following his move from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2024.

Mbappe’s form has been a little more inconsistent at the World Cup. Although he scored a scintillating hat-trick in the last World Cup final, he has sometimes been a peripheral figure in other knockout games.

He has also had to contend with several injuries and niggles this season, missing quite a few games – which makes his goal-scoring exploits all the more impressive.

A fit and happy Mbappe will terrify any defence, and his sheer presence and quality could go far in driving France to glory in 2026.

Of course, Mbappe is far from France’s only devastating attacker.

Dembele won the Ballon d’Or last year after driving PSG to their first Champions League title. The 29 year old has just added a second Champions League title to his resume with victory against Arsenal on May 30.

His teammate Desire Doue, who will be just 21 at the tournament, is also a hugely exciting talent.

Attacking winger Michael Olise has had a sensational season with Bayern Munich with bravura performances as the German champions knocked out Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals.

Add the likes of Bradley Barcola, Marcus Thuram, Rayan Cherki and Jean-Philippe Mateta into the mix, and France will likely not even suffer unduly from the absence of Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike, who has been ruled out of the tournament with a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Of course there’s a caveat: With such a stacked collection of talent, there is always the chance that egos can clash and the harmony of the squad can fray.

Many believe that the World Cup tends to be won by the team with the best defence. If so, France could well be considered favourites.

Arsenal’s William Saliba is an absolute rock in the centre of France’s defence. PSG’s Dayot Upamecano offers blistering pace alongside defensive solidity. Barca’s Jules Kounde is a world class right back while Theo Hernandez and Lucas Digne are great options for left back.

The likes of Ibrahima Konate and Lucas Hernandez give strength in depth, and playing in front of the excellent Mike Maignan in goal will give any defence confidence.

Deschamps surprised many by calling up uncapped goalkeeper Robin Risser due to his performances for Lens, who finished second in Ligue 1 and won the French Cup. Lucas Chevalier did not make the cut after losing his place at Paris Saint-Germain.

The man who lifted the World Cup as captain in 1998 and manager in 2018 has said he will not renew his contract beyond the tournament.

Deschamps, 57, has taken his fair share of flak for his management style. Critics have said his conservative and pragmatic approach has produced boring football, failed to get the most out of France’s attacking wealth and left the national team without a clear identity.

France’s manager said he prizes results over plaudits and those who do not like watching his team can “change the channel”.

He will be desperate to list a second title as manager as a riposte to his critics and to cement his legacy as a serial winner.

The biggest call in his squad selection was probably cutting midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, who had a disappointing season with Real Madrid.

“I would imagine it is ⁠a huge disappointment for him, but he has had a tough season with injury as well,” Deschamps said.

He added: “It’s a squad. Not necessarily the 26 best players. It’s about balance and how the team comes together.”

There’s no doubt that France have a tricky run of games in Group I.

The opener against Senegal should provide a stiff test as the African side are ranked 14th in the world and are captained by former Liverpool legend Sadio Mane. France are also haunted by their defeat to Senegal in their first game at the 2002 World Cup when the defending champions crashed out in the group stage.

Iraq, ranked 57th, qualified through the intercontinental playoffs and should present a much easier prospect in France’s second group game – although the Iraqis are a talented side with a couple of dangerous players.

In the last group game, Norway and Erling Haaland await. The Norwegians’ 31st ranking probably belies their quality, and they emerged from qualifying with a perfect record of eight wins out of eight, including two resounding victories over Italy.

⚽ June 16: France vs Senegal (East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States), 3pm (19:00 GMT)

⚽ June 22: France vs Iraq (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US), 5pm (21:00 GMT)

⚽ June 26: Norway vs France (Boston, Massachusetts, US), 3pm (19:00 GMT)

Runners-up if they play Spain in the final, champions otherwise.

Spain might just have too much quality, coherence and belief for the French.

Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Robin Risser (Racing Lens), Brice Samba (Stade Rennais)

Defenders: Lucas Digne (Aston ‌Villa), Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Lucas Hernandez (PSG), Theo Hernandez (Al Hilal), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)

Midfielders: N’Golo Kante (Fenerbahce), Manu Kone (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG)

Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco), Bradley Barcola (PSG), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Ousmane Dembele (PSG), Desire Doue (PSG), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan)

📰 மூல செய்தி (Source): https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/6/2/france-world-cup-2026-preview-players-to-watch-group-matches-and-squad?traffic_source=rss

Related Topics:சர்வதேச செய்திகள்தமிழ் மொழிபெயர்ப்பு

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South Africa’s World Cup delegation departs for Mexico without coach

Published

7 hours ago

June 2, 2026

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Bafana Bafana’s departure was delayed due to non-issuance of visas for several players and support staff.

The South African national team members have left for their World Cup training base in Pachuca, Mexico, in advance of their opening game against the tournament cohosts on June 11.

The delegation that left on Monday did not include assistant coach Helman Mkhalele, who has yet to obtain a United States visa.

The charter flight departed Johannesburg following a frantic 24 hours after the squad was originally scheduled to leave on Sunday, but was held back by a delay in obtaining visas in what was described as an administrative bungle by the South African Football Association (SAFA).

Mkhalele, a former international winger who played 66 times for Bafana Bafana, including at their World Cup debut in France in 1998, will have to travel later after his visa application was initially denied.

Blaming the US Consulate General in Johannesburg for the delay, SAFA president Danny Jordaan told the South African Broadcasting Corporation, “They refused the visa, but gave no reasons. It is very difficult to deal with the process where you get no information.”

“We don’t know [why it was denied], we are clutching in the dark, but we hope the matter will be resolved [soon]. All of the players are [on the flight] and 99 percent of the technical staff.”

South Africa are due to play Jamaica in a friendly on Friday before taking on Mexico in the showpiece opening match in Mexico City.

“Now we are very happy that we can go to Mexico,” South Africa coach Hugo Broos said. “The past days have been a little bit stressful with all the problems we had, but those problems are behind us now, and we can focus on what’s coming.”

“These 10 days go very fast. Once we get there, we will start working, focusing on the first game against Mexico, so time will pass very quickly. I think everybody is looking forward to starting the World Cup.”

South Africa are in Group A and will face Czechia in Atlanta on June 18 and South Korea in Monterrey, Mexico, six days later.

They are appearing in their fourth World Cup and looking to advance from the group stage for the first time.

📰 மூல செய்தி (Source): https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/6/2/south-africas-world-cup-delegation-departs-for-mexico-without-coach?traffic_source=rss

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At least 12 people killed, dozens wounded in Russian attacks on Ukraine

Published

7 hours ago

June 2, 2026

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Russia launches 656 drones and 73 missiles at Ukraine overnight, according to Ukraine’s air force.

Ukrainian authorities say at least 12 people have been killed and dozens wounded in Russian missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, days after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Moscow was preparing a major assault.

Russia launched 656 drones and 73 missiles at Ukraine overnight, Ukraine’s air force said on Tuesday.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least four people were killed in the Ukrainian capital and 58, including two children, were wounded in the “mass enemy attack”.

“Explosions in the city. Air defence forces are working! Stay in shelters!” Klitschko had warned earlier.

In the Dnipropetrovsk region in central Ukraine, at least eight people were killed and at least 36 others, including children, were wounded in Russian attacks, Governor Oleksandr Ganzha said.

Ten people, including a child, were wounded in the city of Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov.

Reporting from Kyiv, Al Jazeera’s Audrey Macalpine said the government had warned Ukrainians about a potential large-scale Russian attack and many had been sheltering in place.

Russia’s military said the bombardment targeted Ukraine’s military-industrial complex.

The “massive strike” using “high-precision weapons” was aimed at targets in Kyiv and the regions of Zaporizhia, Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk as well as energy and transport infrastructure used by the Ukrainian military in other regions, Russia’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone strike killed one person in Russia’s Kursk region near the border with Ukraine, Governor Alexander Khinshtein said.

Another drone attack sparked a fire at an oil refinery in the southwestern city of Krasnodar, local authorities said on Telegram.

The attacks on Ukraine came after Zelenskyy said on Friday that “we have intelligence information about Russia preparing a new massive strike” as he called on people to heed safety precautions.

“Please pay attention to air alerts. Protect your lives. Our services are working efficiently and are prepared. The air force and other defenders of our skies will be on duty 24/7, as always.”

This major Russian assault comes as United States-led peace efforts to end the war that began in February 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine have largely been paused as US President Donald Trump’s administration remains focused on conflicts in the Middle East.

📰 மூல செய்தி (Source): https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/2/at-least-nine-people-killed-dozens-wounded-in-russian-attacks-on-ukraine?traffic_source=rss

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Senegal president names government, boycotted by ally-turned-rival

Published

7 hours ago

June 2, 2026

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Ousted PM says his party, which holds the parliamentary majority, will not participate in new government.

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has announced a new government featuring several members and allies of a party led by sacked prime minister and estranged ally Ousmane Sonko, who has pledged his group would not join it.

Faye’s announcement came on Monday during a live television broadcast, less than two weeks after he fired Sonko, his former mentor, and dismissed the cabinet following disagreements, including over the troubled economy.

A popular figure, Sonko was promptly elected speaker of parliament by allies in a vote boycotted by the opposition, deepening the political crisis in the West African country.

Sonko said in a post on X that he met on Monday with Faye and that “points of disagreement” emerged on the future role of the Pastef party.

Therefore, Pastef “will not participate in the next government and will not be represented by any ministers”, Sonko said. “We wish the new team every success.”

Sonko remains the undisputed leader of Pastef, the party he founded in 2014 – to which Faye also belongs – and which controls 130 of the 165 seats in Senegal’s only legislative body.

On Monday, Faye named senior economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lo as prime minister, saying the new appointee had the expertise to steer Senegal out of its crippling debt.

Lo on Monday read out a list of 30 new ministers, including several Pastef members, but notable for the absence of several of its senior figures who had been in the previous government.

Sonko said his party would not join the cabinet after disagreeing about it with Faye during a “long conversation” on Monday.

“Some points of agreement were indeed confirmed, but also, above all, points of disagreement,” Sonko said in a statement on social media.

“Pastef will not take part and will not be represented by any ministers.”

Faye appointed Sonko as prime minister in April 2024, just days after being elected president.

Sonko would almost certainly have won the top job if he had not been barred from the presidential election due to a defamation conviction.

With his pan-Africanist rhetoric, Sonko had gained a following among young Senegalese after a power struggle with former President Macky Sall, who ruled from 2012 to 2024.

Tensions began to surface in July when the outspoken Sonko accused Faye of a “failure of leadership” by not backing him up enough against his many critics.

In May, the president took a shot at Sonko, saying the party needed to be “depersonalised” from any leader dominating it.

While Faye is open to discussions with the International Monetary Fund on a new loan programme, Sonko had advocated a more sovereign approach.

📰 மூல செய்தி (Source): https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/2/senegal-president-names-government-boycotted-by-ally-turned-rival?traffic_source=rss