Teams · Group I
France
Les Bleus
France are two-time champions and reached the 2022 final, boasting arguably the deepest talent pool in world football led by one of the game's biggest superstars. They are perennial favourites.
France’s group path
France starts in Group I with Senegal, Norway, Iraq. They enter the group as the #1 team by MatchupSim power rating, which makes the finishing position especially important: first place, second place and a possible third-place route can each send them into a very different round-of-32 matchup.
Key facts
- Confederation
- Europe (UEFA)
- Group
- Group I · power-ranked #1 of 4
- World Cup titles
- 2
- Best finish
- Champions (1998, 2018)
- Qualified via
- UEFA qualifying
- Power rating (PWR)
- 92 · Elo 2050
- Manager
- Didier Deschamps
Players to watch
- Kylian Mbappé — Captain, forward (Real Madrid)
- Ousmane Dembélé — Forward (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Michael Olise — Winger (Bayern Munich)
Group I opponents
Group-stage fixtures
- Tue, Jun 16
SenegalNew York / New Jersey, USA - Mon, Jun 22
IraqPhiladelphia, USA - Fri, Jun 26
NorwayBoston, USA
2026 outlook
Heading Group I, France have the squad to reach yet another final and challenge for a third star.
Prediction angles to test
Start with a favorites run, then test one aggressive version where France wins Group I and one conservative version where they finish lower in the table. Comparing those paths shows whether their best chance comes from group control, a softer runner-up route, or surviving as one of the best third-place teams.
Simulate France’s World Cup
Think France can go all the way — or crash out early? Set their Group I finish in the simulator and watch the bracket re-wire around your call, or build a full prediction all the way to the final.