France vs Italy Preview – prediction, team news, lineups | UEFA Nations League 2026-27

The last time these nations met was in 2024!

The France national football team will go head-to-head against the Italy national football team for their third group stage contest of the UEFA Nations League 2026-27 edition. This clash is all set to take place at the Stade de France.

The Zinedine Zidane-led side are now on a two-match winning run. They first secured a win against Turkey and are now coming after securing a 1-0 victory against Belgium. The France national football team dominated possession despite having mostly youngsters on the field.

Les Bleus will be at home for their upcoming contest, and it is going to be a big advantage for them. They will be looking for a third consecutive win in the European competition. Zidane’s era has started off on a high with France, and he will continue to come up with top strategies for the team.

After a 0-2 loss against Belgium in their opening game of the UEFA Nations League 2026-27, Gli Azzurri made a strong comeback after securing a dominant 4-1 win against Turkiye. They controlled the game from the start. That built constant pressure on their opponents.

The Roberto Mancini-led side will be happy with their result. They are now all set to face tough competition. Being away from home will make things a bit complex for the Italy national football team.

With a calm and composed approach, they are going to have a slight chance.

Kick-off:

• Location: Saint-Denis, France
• Stadium: Stade de France
• Date: Saturday, October 3
• Kick-off Time: 12:15 AM IST (Friday, Oct 2; 06:45 pm GMT/ 02:45 am ET/ 11:45 am PT)
• Referee: TBA
• VAR: In use

Form:

France: W-L-L-W-W

Italy: D-W-W-L-W

Players to Watch

Michael Olise (France)

Michael Olise has been in a sensational run of form. He will be looking to come up with another top performance. In the opening Nations League game, he bagged an assist and then scored the match-winning goal against Belgium.

The 24-year-old came off the bench for a few minutes, but was quite impactful for the Les Bleus.

Francesco Pio Esposito (Italy)

The 21-year-old was the star of the show for the Italy national football team in their 4-1 victory against Turkiye. He was one of the goal scorers and also managed an assist. Francesco Pio Esposito will be once again looking to step up his game so that he can help Gli Azzurri stand a chance against the Les Bleus.

Match Facts

• Les Bleus are on a two-match winning run.
• Italy haven’t managed a clean sheet in the UEFA Nations League 2026-27 so far.
• Neither of the last five matches between these nations have ended in a draw.

Betting Tips & Odds

• Les Bleus to win @4/9 Ladbrokes
• Michael Olise to score @15/8 William Hill
• Goals under 3.5 @7/10 Unibet

Injury and Team News

All of the selected squad members for both national teams are fit to be in action.

Head-to-Head

Matches played: 41

France (wins): 13

Italy (wins): 20

Draws: 8

Predicted Lineups

France predicted XI (4-3-3)

Maignan (GK); Kalulu, Jacquet, Lacroix, Diouf; Akliouche, Kone, Camavinga; Olise, Dembele, Doue

Italy predicted XI (4-1-2-3)

Donnarumma (GK); Kayode, Scalvini, Bastoni, Ruggeri; Tonali; Frattesi, Fagioli; Raspadori, Pio Esposito, Sebastiano Esposito

Match Prediction

France, with their current form and the home-ground advantage, are going to have a slight edge. The Italy national football team are still figuring things out and might have a hard time out there.

Zinedine Zidane’s men are likely to come out on top and secure three important points.

Prediction: France 2-1 Italy

Telecast Details

India: Sony Sports Network, SonyLIV

UK: S4C

France: la chaine L’Équipe, TF1+

Italy: RAI PLAY, Mediaset, Sky Italia

USA: FOX Sports, FuboTV, ViX

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