France’s route to FIFA World Cup 2026 final: Possible opponents for Kylian Mbappe & Co.
(Courtesy : Getty)
Les Blues are the only European side to win all their games so far in FIFA World Cup 2026!
Defying the infamous Champions Curse, France not only advanced past the group stages but also made it to the FIFA World Cup 2022 Finals, and Mbappe’s hat-trick almost snatched the silverware from Lionel Messi’s Argentina that evening in Qatar.
It seems like France resumed their World Cup campaign exactly where they left off, four years ago. The only European team to win all their group stage fixtures, Les Blues topped Group I, also referred to as the Group of Death in the most dominating fashion.
The two-time champions also scored the joint highest goals in the tournament so far after thrashing reigning African finalists Senegal, Asian outfit Iraq and Erling Haaland’s Norway after the former did not play in the most anticipated Haaland vs Mbappe clash.
Most importantly, two of the top three leading goal scorers in the tournament are also French, with captain Kylian Mbappe and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele scoring four goals each and standing just behind Lionel Messi.
All of their players are in sublime form and their coach, Didier Deschamps, is also back with the squad after attending his mother’s funeral.
France’s route to their third consecutive finals does not, however, look easy. However, they have all it takes to go all the way. In this article, we take a close look at France’s potential opponents on their road to the Finals.
France’s round of 32 opponent – Sweden
France’s first opponent in the knockout stages will be Sweden, who are ranked 38th in the world. The Scandinavian nation has a pretty solid offensive lineup led by the attacking duo of Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak, but their defence performed terribly after failing to keep a clean sheet in 14 games.
Most importantly, Elanga is also in terrific form, having become the first Swedish player to score in back-to-back games since 1994. Despite a 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands, they have navigated a very tough group alongside Asian powerhouse Japan and Tunisia, the same Tunisia that defeated France in the last edition.
Date, Time, and Location: 1st July (2:30 am IST) – Met Life Stadium, New York, USA
France’s possible round of 16 opponent – Germany/Paraguay
Unless Paraguay pulls out an upset, which seems highly unlikely, France will lock horns with the most successful European side in FIFA World Cup history, Germany. Interestingly, Germany have broken too many French hearts in the last few editions when these two sides faced in the FIFA World Cup knockouts.
From the 1982 and 1986 semi-finals to the 2014 Finals, the Germans have dominated this fixture. However, that was a very different German era, but the challenge won’t be easy for France as German strikers like Deniz Undav and Kai Havertz are in top-notch form.
Date, Time, and Location: 5th July (2:30 am IST) – Philadelphia Stadium, USA
Also Read: Argentina’s route to FIFA World Cup 2026 final
Who could France face in the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup 2026?
If France manages to get past Julian Nagelsmann’s side, they might have to overcome another European giant. There are high chances that the Netherlands would face France in the quarterfinals. The Dutch team are yet to lose a single game in regulation time in the World Cup for two decades.
But unfortunately, the Netherlands face a very tough opponent in the form of Morocco in the Round of 32. Morocco shocked everyone by becoming the first African side to make it to the World Cup semi-finals in the last edition. The Atlas Lions are also the reigning champions of Africa.
Date, Time, and Location: 10th July (1:30 am IST) – Boston Stadium, USA
France’s probable opponents in the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Well, well, the European odyssey would not end for France as they are likely to face another European giant in the semi-finals. Given the recent form, there are high chances that Les Blues would face reigning European champions Spain in the semi-finals.
But what if Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal plays extremely well, defeats Croatia in the Round of 32, Spain potentially in the Round of 16 and USA or Belgium potentially in the quarterfinals, in that case, we might witness the 2016 Euro finalists locking horns.
Date, Time, and Location: 16th July (12:30 am IST) – Atlanta Stadium, Georgia, USA
Who could France face in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final?
So, if France survives the European odyssey, they will most likely face either England or Argentina in the Finals. If Argentina advances, it could be for the first time since 1990 that two teams would face off in the FIFA World Cup Finals, and Les Bleus could take their revenge.
But what if England advances? After all, they have the second most valuable squad after France. In that case, France would become the first team to face only European opposition in every single knockout round till the finals. That would be a cracker of a game between England and France in the finals.
Date, Time, and Location: 20th July (12:30 am IST) – New York New Jersey Stadium, USA
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In addition to writing articles on World and Indian Football, Saikat has also covered tournaments like the Durand Cup, Indian Super League, and Hockey India League. Notably, his exceptional communication skills have seen him interview legendary icons like Olympic 2024 gold medalist Yibbi Jansen, former Real Madrid player Javi Hernandez, and many more such sporting stalwarts.