Sports
France’s 26-Man Squad For 2026 World Cup Named by Didier Deschamps
France’s 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup has officially been named by Didier Deschamps, and it’s absolutely stacked.
France, who have won the competition on two occasions, came agonisingly close to winning their third World Cup title in Qatar in 2021.
Deschamps’ side progressed all the way to the final, where they met Argentina. The two sides played out one of the greatest games in football history, but it was the South American side who emerged victorious on penalties.
Les Bleus will be looking to go one step further in North America, and they have a very good chance of doing so. They have been placed in Group I, where they will begin their campaign against Senegal on June 16, before facing Iraq on June 22 and Norway on June 26.
Deschamps’ side are one of the favourites to win it all and, given the talent in their squad, it’s easy to see why.
Goalkeepers
Mike Maignan is expected to be France’s number one at the 2026 World Cup. The 30-year-old, considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world, was always going to be included in the squad. Rennes goalkeeper Brice Samba, as well as Lens stopper Robin Risser, will also travel to the World Cup.
There’s no place for France’s starting goalkeeper at the previous three World Cups: Hugo Lloris. The 39-year-old, who now plays in Major League Soccer with Los Angeles FC, announced his retirement from international football in 2023 and has not been named in the squad.
Lucas Chevalier, who hasn’t played for PSG since January after being overtaken in the pecking order by Matvei Safonov, and West Ham’s Alphonse Areola have also been overlooked.
|
France’s 2026 World Cup squad – goalkeepers |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Club |
Age |
International Caps |
International Goals |
|
Mike Maignan |
AC Milan |
30 |
38 |
0 |
|
Brice Samba |
Rennes |
32 |
4 |
0 |
|
Robin Risser |
Lens |
21 |
0 |
0 |
Defenders
Deschamps has a number of world-class players to choose from in defence. Dayot Upamecano has been so impressive for Bayern Munich this season and has made the squad, as has William Saliba, who could win both the Premier League and the Champions League with Arsenal.
Ibrahima Konate has been criticised for his performances for Liverpool this campaign but has been called up, as have Paris Saint-Germain defender Lucas Hernandez and Maxence Lacroix of Crystal Palace.
At right-back, Deschamps has Chelsea’s Malo Gusto and Barcelona’s Jules Kounde to choose from, while Lucas Digne and Theo Hernandez are his options on the other side.
|
France’s 2026 World Cup squad – defenders |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Club |
Age |
International Caps |
International Goals |
|
Dayot Upamecano |
Bayern Munich |
27 |
36 |
2 |
|
William Saliba |
Arsenal |
25 |
31 |
0 |
|
Ibrahima Konaté |
Liverpool |
26 |
27 |
0 |
|
Lucas Hernandez |
Paris Saint-Germain |
30 |
41 |
0 |
|
Malo Gusto |
Chelsea |
22 |
9 |
0 |
|
Jules Koundé |
Barcelona |
27 |
46 |
0 |
|
Lucas Digne |
Aston Villa |
32 |
56 |
0 |
|
Theo Hernandez |
Al-Hilal |
28 |
42 |
2 |
|
Maxence Lacroix |
Crystal Palace |
26 |
2 |
0 |
Midfielders
If there’s an area of weakness for France going into the tournament, it’s arguably in the middle of the pitch. That said, they can still call upon a number of talented midfielders.
Adrian Rabiot, who made his France debut 10 years ago, has been included in the squad. There’s also a place for N’Golo Kante, who could well be playing in his last major tournament at international level.
Youngsters Manu Kone and Warren Zaire-Emery have also been called up and will be looking to make their mark in North America.
Aurélien Tchouaméni, who was involved in a fight with Federico Valverde during Real Madrid training earlier this month, will likely start for his country in midfield. Perhaps the biggest shock is that his Los Blancos teammate, Eduardo Camavinga, has not been called up into the squad.
|
France’s 2026 World Cup squad – midfielders |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Club |
Age |
International Caps |
International Goals |
|
Adrien Rabiot |
AC Milan |
31 |
57 |
7 |
|
Aurélien Tchouaméni |
Real Madrid |
26 |
44 |
3 |
|
N’Golo Kanté |
Fenerbahce |
35 |
67 |
2 |
|
Manu Koné |
Roma |
24 |
12 |
0 |
|
Warren Zaïre-Emery |
Paris Saint-Germain |
20 |
10 |
1 |
Forwards
Deschamps has an embarrassment of riches to choose from in attacking areas. Kylian Mbappe, who is one goal away from becoming France’s all-time top goalscorer, will undoubtedly start barring any injury.
Reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele has also been called up, as has Michael Olise, who is one of the main contenders to win the Ballon d’Or in 2026.
PSG duo Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola will also be on the plane, as will Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram, Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche and Man City’s Rayan Cherki.
There’s also a spot for Jean-Philippe Mateta, who gets in ahead of Randal Kolo Muani. The Tottenham Hotspur loanee famously had a golden opportunity to win the World Cup for his side in the dying moments in 2021, only to see his strike well saved by Emiliano Martinez, and now won’t get a chance to redeem himself this summer.
|
France’s 2026 World Cup squad – forwards |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Club |
Age |
International Caps |
International Goals |
|
Kylian Mbappe |
Real Madrid |
27 |
96 |
56 |
|
Ousmane Dembele |
Paris Saint-Germain |
28 |
58 |
7 |
|
Michael Olise |
Bayern Munich |
24 |
15 |
4 |
|
Rayan Cherki |
Manchester City |
22 |
5 |
1 |
|
Desire Doue |
Paris Saint-Germain |
20 |
6 |
2 |
|
Bradley Barcola |
Paris Saint-Germain |
23 |
18 |
3 |
|
Marcus Thuram |
Inter Milan |
28 |
33 |
3 |
|
Maghnes Akliouche |
Monaco |
24 |
7 |
1 |
|
Jean-Philippe Mateta |
Crystal Palace |
28 |
3 |
2 |
Arsene Wenger: France Are 2026 World Cup Favourites
Legendary football manager Arsene Wenger believes France are the favourites to win the trophy in July. He said, per talkSPORT:
“In my opinion, (England) will be one of the favourites of the World Cup. They are always nearly there to win it. The semi-final, quarter-final, final. And they have to make the next step. They have the quality to do it.
“I still believe in Europe, personally, by trying to be as objective as possible, that France is the super favourite, just for one reason.
“It’s the country that has more world-class strikers than any other country in the world. And by having four knockout stage (matches), to have such a bench and such a quality on the bench, will make a difference.”
Sports
Man Utd Will Make Offer to Sign Mateus Fernandes
Manchester United will make a move to sign West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes in the coming weeks, according to the iPaper.
Man United have made rebuilding their midfield the main priority of the upcoming summer transfer window, which officially opens on June 15.
The Red Devils are already closing in on a deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta, according to Fabrizio Romano, but they are unlikely to be done there thanks to the confirmed exit of Casemiro, and with South American compatriot Manuel Ugarte up for sale.
Despite the opening of the window being more than a fortnight away, United chiefs are already working on agreements ahead of time, and if a deal is completed for Ederson, he won’t be the last midfielder arriving at Old Trafford in this window.
One report has suggested that if Ugarte does go, United could attempt to sign up to three midfielders to significantly boost their squad ahead of a Champions League campaign.
The club is said to want to sign an elite, big-money replacement for Casemiro, with two lower-priced midfielders arriving alongside that player.
Priced at just below £40m, the Atalanta star would fit into the latter category, as could Fernandes.
Man United ‘Intend to Move’ for Mateus Fernandes
While a deal for Ederson progresses, according to the iPaper, United will also make an offer to sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham in the coming weeks.
The Red Devils were interested in signing the Portugal international even before the Irons’ relegation to the Championship was confirmed at the weekend, with many Premier League clubs likely to sense an opportunity to sign the 21-year-old at a lower price.
It had previously been suggested that Fernandes would be valued at £80m, so it will be interesting to see how much West Ham will demand now they have gone down to the second tier.
Man United Move is ‘First Pick’ for Mateus Fernandes
According to the iPaper’s sources, Fernandes has already made United his top pick if he is to leave West Ham this summer.
Previous reports have suggested that the youngster would love to play with one of his idols, Bruno Fernandes, at Old Trafford, with his more experienced compatriot also said to have suggested that the Red Devils sign him.
Despite suffering two successive Premier League relegations with West Ham and Southampton, the 21-year-old often stood out as being head and shoulders above his teammates, suggesting he is ready for a move to an elite club.
United have certainly been impressed with what they’ve seen in his two seasons in England, noting his ability to receive the ball all across the midfield.
Fernandes has shown that he can play as a number 6, 8 and 10 during his time with West Ham and Saints, and that versatility and his room for growth is unsurprisingly attracting the Red Devils’ recruitment team.
Sports
Neymar Could Still Be Excluded From Brazil’s World Cup Squad
Neymar’s hopes of leading Brazil at the 2026 World Cup have been thrown into doubt after confirmation that the forward has suffered a grade two muscle injury in his right calf, just three weeks before the tournament begins.
The Brazilian superstar picked up the injury ahead of Brazil’s opening match against Morocco at MetLife Stadium on the 13th of June, leaving fans concerned over whether he’ll be fit in time for the competition, with the injury carrying a 2-3 week recovery time.
Despite the setback, the Brazilian Football Confederation isn’t considering Neymar’s removal from the squad for the time being. Instead, the plan for the 33-year-old is to undergo treatment over the coming days before another scan takes place on the 12th of June in New Jersey.
FIFA regulations allow teams to replace injured players up to 24 hours before their opening fixture, meaning Brazil technically has until the day of the scan to make a final decision on Neymar’s availability.
Neymar Facing Race Against Time for the World Cup
Under FIFA rules, any replacement must first be approved by the organisation’s medical committee, with federations required to provide evidence that a player is unable to take part in the tournament (per ESPN Brazil).
That leaves Brazil with a difficult balancing act. If Neymar isn’t fit, but remains in the squad beyond the deadline, the Selecao risk carrying a player who isn’t capable of contributing during the World Cup at all.
The situation is particularly worrying given Neymar’s history with injuries during major tournaments. He’s not featured for Brazil since 2023 and has spent time out injured in two of the last three World Cups.
Even if he recovers in time to stay in the squad, there’s no guarantee Neymar will be able to perform at his usual level straight away, if at all.
Who Could Replace Neymar in Brazil’s Squad?
Should Brazil decide they can’t risk taking Neymar, any replacement would need to come from the provisional 55-man squad already submitted to FIFA.
Several attacking options are available to manager Carlo Ancelotti, including Premier League quartet Gabriel Jesus, Igor Jesus, Joao Pedro and Richarlison. Former Manchester United winger Antony is also part of the men ready to step in, alongside Kaio Jorge, Pedro, and Samuel Lino, who play in the Brazilian Serie A.
Gabriel Jesus possesses World Cup experience and versatility across the front line, while Richarlison has previously delivered for Brazil on the international stage, particularly during the 2022 World Cup, where he won the Goal of the Tournament.
Joao Pedro could also be an intriguing option after impressing in the Premier League and the Club World Cup in his first season for Chelsea. His omission from the Brazil squad came as a surprise to everyone, with most feeling as though he was guaranteed to make the squad before Ancelotti’s announcement 10 days ago.
As it stands, Brazil remain hopeful Neymar will recover in time, but with the deadline fast approaching, the pressure is growing ahead of the World Cup, and there’s a host of fine players ready to step up in his place.
Sports
Man City Star Savinho Wants to Join Tottenham to Play Under Roberto De Zerbi
Tottenham Hotspur are hopeful of sealing a deal to sign Manchester City star Savinho this summer, and he wants to join to play under Roberto De Zerbi, according to Football Insider.
Spurs avoided relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the season thanks to a 1-0 win over Everton, and the club have already agreed two deals to strengthen the squad this summer, with Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi expected to join on a free transfer from Liverpool and Bournemouth, respectively.
But the club are also keen to bolster their forward options heading into the new season to ensure they’re not facing the same predicament again, and the Brazilian has emerged as a target.
Savinho Wants to Sign for Tottenham
Savinho, who has been described as ‘extraordinary’, has struggled to make himself a regular in the Man City team since arriving from Troyes in 2024, and is now understood to be ready to move away in order to play more regularly.
Spurs were keen to sign the 22-year-old last summer, but City pushed to keep him as part of Pep Guardiola’s squad, and convinced him to sign a new long-term contract once the transfer window closed. However, he still managed just 821 minutes of Premier League action this season, and a move away now looks likely.
It’s understood that Savinho is very open to a move to Tottenham this summer, and the prospect of playing under De Zerbi is believed to be a big factor in his thinking.
Enzo Maresca is set to take over at Man City this summer, and it remains to be seen if he views the Brazil international as part of his plans. But with Guardiola gone, it’s believed that one of the biggest hurdles for the deal last year has now been removed.
Savinho is ready to push on his end to make a deal happen as he looks to play more regularly, and Spurs are ready to do what they can to add him to their squad.
Savinho Could Be Ideal De Zerbi Winger
This season, De Zerbi had to make do with limited attacking options due to injuries and stylistic clashes, but he managed to avoid the drop. Now, he will be fully backed in the window, and forwards are likely to be a priority.
Richarlison looks likely to be on the move, while Xavi Simons will be sidelined until 2027 after rupturing his ACL last month. There are also question marks over the long-term fitness of Dejan Kulusevski, and the future of Mathys Tel.
So bringing in a forward like Savinho, who loves to run at opponents and has a lethal left foot, could be the perfect addition for Spurs as they look to get back to being one of the top clubs in the division.
De Zerbi Wants Tottenham to Sign ‘Incredible’ Star After Andy Robertson
Roberto De Zerbi is targeting a player from his former club Brighton and Hove Albion this summer
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