World Cup

The locally-based "Les Blues" have talent all over the field. Anything short of a deep knockout round run will be viewed as a disappointment.

By Hayden Bird

June 11, 2026 | 12:19 PM

3 minutes to read

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France has been in each of the last two World Cup finals, and looks primed in 2026 to be back there once again.

Unquestionably one of the strongest teams at this year’s tournament, the only real factor that could stop the French might prove to be the French themselves. Local fans will have a front row seat, as France have set up base camp at Bentley University (and are staying at the Four Seasons in downtown Boston).

Before things get going, here’s a quick guide for one of the teams coming to the Boston area for the 2026 World Cup:

Three quick things to know

• France are blessed with an absolute spoil of riches in the attack. Kylian Mbappe is one of the most famous and dynamic players in the world. Ousmane Dembélé was the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner. Michael Olise is one of the most talented players in the sport, and is in the midst of a career year. Beyond that, players like Rayan Cherki, Marcus Thuram, Désiré Doué, and Bradley Barcola would probably all start on almost any other national team. The “good problem” that French manager Didier Deschamps will have is trying to pick (at most) four from this group. Just watching them warm up is mesmerizing:

• Just in case the attack isn’t clicking, France is also extremely capable of grinding out wins through defensive solidity. As former French forward Antoine Griezmann said of Deschamps’s style at Euro 2024, “It is a pain to watch, but it makes you win.” Deschamps, despite his stacked attack, generally prefers a more conservative approach to managing his way through a tournament. To that end, France also possesses one of the best center-back pairings in the world: Dayot Upamecano of Bayern Munich, and William Saliba from Arsenal.

• As as generally is the case with all over-powered World Cup rosters, their greatest threat is arguably internal. Previous French fiascos at major tournaments (especially in recent times) have not been due to a lack of talent, but because of team division. There haven’t been any concrete reports along these lines, though the speculation persists. France’s ability to deal with this largely public relations subplot could actually be an important part of their World Cup.

What’s the group stage schedule?

• June 16: France vs. Senegal at 3 p.m. (New York New Jersey Stadium)
• June 22: France vs. Iraq at 5 p.m. (Philadelphia Stadium)
• June 26: Norway vs. France 3 p.m. (Boston Stadium)

Standout quote: “It’s about managing the frustration of those who won’t start the game. It’s always hard to accept, because each player thinks he’s better than the one who plays in his place … ask any professional footballer at the very highest level, they will say: ‘Competition? Well, of course, it’s part of our life,’ but only when it concerns a teammate, when it concerns them it’s more difficult.” –French manager Didier Deschamps on how to deal with his extremely talented roster.

Player to know: Mbappe would be the obvious choice, but we’ll go with Olise. The 24-year-old Bayern Munich star has flourished in recent seasons, and could be set for a massive transfer to another European powerhouse club this summer. Born to a British-Nigerian father and a Franco-Algerian mother, he had several nations to choose from when it came time to pick his international soccer allegiance. Olise chose France, and now looks like he’ll be one the most compelling talents in the whole 48-team tournament.

How they might line up: Deschamps, as already noted, will have some difficult decisions to make in terms of which attacking group he chooses to start. Mbappe, Olise, and Dembele feel like locked-in starters, but the fourth spot is potentially up for grabs. The midfield, which could also include World Cup winner Ngolo Kante and 20-year-old PSG prodigy Warren Zaïre-Emery, may also see some rotation.

Expert prediction: “Rightfully the two teams to beat,” were the words of Caesars Sportsbook soccer lead Mark Bickerdike of co-favorites Spain and France. The odds for everyone beyond the two European nations fall off a cliff, meaning that France are a team that is absolutely built to go far.

Fun version of their anthem: Sure, we could probably find a more recent (and also great) version, but the iconic scene from Casablanca still takes the top spot.