Blues on the Brink: France’s 2026 World Cup Ticket Could Be Claimed Next Week
12 October 2025
France on the brink of booking a 2026 World Cup ticket
France stands on the cusp of securing a place at the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico next summer.
After a 3-0 win over Azerbaijan at Parc des Princes last Friday, the Blues travel to Reykjavik to face Iceland on Monday, hoping for a victory that would tighten their grip on qualification.
Path to qualification: results, standings, and squad notes
France sit top of Group 4 with nine points from three straight wins. They have beaten Ukraine 2-0 and Iceland 2-1, then Azerbaijan 3-0, and their lead could grow even larger depending on Monday’s results in Reykjavik and the final two group games.
According to RMC, clinching qualification requires Mbappe’s teammates to beat Iceland while Ukraine fails to beat Azerbaijan.
A victory would put France seven points clear with two games remaining.
In Europe World Cup 2026 qualification works with group winners advancing automatically to the finals, while the runners up enter playoff ties.
France’s World Cup history includes two titles in 1998 and 2018 and a long list of other honours under Didier Deschamps who has served as captain and coach.
Mbappe left Friday’s match with an ankle issue; the plan is to assess him ahead of the Iceland game but the squad remains confident.
The October squad announcement highlighted 23 players spanning goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and attackers, all assembled to push for the qualification push.
Deschamps shuffled the lineup to manage injuries and suspensions with one or two veterans and youngsters stepping in to strengthen the team balance.
Two additional changes followed: a defender and a winger were sidelined by injuries while Benjamin Pavard returned to bolster the defense as part of the plans for the November fixtures.
France will end the qualifying campaign with fixtures against Ukraine at home and Iceland away in November with the results elsewhere potentially sealing the ticket before the group stage ends.
France’s World Cup bid remains strong and the current group standings reinforce the sense that the Blues are well placed to reach North America in 2026.
France’s World Cup record in brief
France has reached the World Cup many times, winning the title twice and earning silver and bronze medals in other campaigns; the current generation has already delivered major honours in Europe and beyond.
In summary, the 2025 26 campaign has shown France’s depth and resilience, and the team enters the last two qualifiers with a clear path to joining North America next summer.
Outlook and squad notes
The 23-man squad continues to illustrate France’s breadth of talent, with established stars and younger players ready to step up in attack, midfield, and defense as needed.
As the calendar heads toward November, attention will be on Mbappé’s fitness, Deschamps’ selections, and whether the Blues can clinch their ticket early or accept a tense finish in a packed high-stakes set of fixtures.
Punchline 1 If football were a sniper duel France would have the last shot before the whistle
Punchline 2 Their fans are confident the ticket is preloaded and waiting in North America next summer
