The revenge that begins in the Qualifiers

The memory of Qatar 2022 is still alive. France came minutes —and a penalty— away from winning back-to-back World Cups, but glory slipped away in one of the most dramatic finals ever played. Since then, Didier Deschamps’ team has lived with a clear mission: return to the World Cup and reclaim the throne they lost to Argentina.

That revenge begins now, in the final stretch of the qualifiers toward United States, Mexico, and Canada 2026. And even though the road looks favorable, it still requires one last push.

What Les Bleus need to secure their ticket

After four matchdays, France leads Group D with 10 points —three more than Ukraine, their closest chaser. The schedule has lined them up at the decisive moment: a direct clash that could define the entire qualification campaign.

To secure their spot immediately, France must defeat Ukraine. That result would mathematically guarantee their presence at the World Cup without relying on other outcomes.

If they draw or lose, the scenario changes:

• France would need to beat Azerbaijan on the final matchday.
• And if they only draw against the Azeris, they must hope Ukraine does not defeat Iceland.

Still, the simplest path is clear: finish the job against the Ukrainians, avoid complications, and confirm the dominance they’ve shown throughout qualifying.

The playoff: an alternate but real route

Even if things go wrong in the final two matchdays, France would not be on the brink. Les Bleus have two additional paths to the World Cup:

1. Finishing second in the group, which grants direct access to the European Playoff.
2. Qualifying via the Nations League, where they won their League A group and hold priority for one of the four available playoff spots.

With stars like Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and Michael Olise, France is not just aiming to qualify — they want to send a message. The World Cup runners-up are ready to return… and this time, the mission is to finish what they started in Qatar.