Who will France play at World Cup 2026? Dates, kick-off times and full schedule revealed

France will bid for a second FIFA World Cup triumph in three tournaments as they kick off their 2026 campaign against Senegal, Norway and one other team.

'Les Bleus' are in Group I for the tournament held across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with Didier Deschamps and company chasing a third straight final.

In Senegal, not only do they face a former colonial territory, but one of two sides they have never beaten - while Norway will ensure Kylian Mbappe faces Erling Haaland.

The 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup sees history made, with a record 48 nations competing across three host nations in the USA, Canada and Mexico, at 60 venues.

It means for the first time, there will be a Round of 32 introduced at a World Cup. 

David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

France's World Cup 26 Group: Who will France play?

In the expanded World Cup, there are now 12 Groups of four teams.

Each nation plays each other once, with the top two automatically qualifying for the knockout stages. Then the eight best third-place sides from the 12 Groups also go through.

France are top seeds in Group I and will face Senegal, Norway and an unknown qualifier from the Inter-Confederation Play-offs.

Group I

France World Cup 26 fixtures: Dates, kick-off times, venue

France will play their first game against Senegal on Tuesday, June 16 before they face the IC Play-offs 2 Winner six days later on Monday, June 22.

'Les Bleus' then conclude their campaign with a clash against Norway on Friday, June 26.

France Group I Fixtures

• Tuesday, June 16: France vs Senegal - MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
• Monday, June 22: France vs IC Play-offs 2 Winner - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
• Friday, June 26: Norway vs France - Gillette Stadium, Foxborough

Who could France play in the knockout stages?

The top two in each group qualify for the World Cup knockout stages, with the eight best third-placed also progressing. That means for the first time in World Cup history, a Round of 32 will be played.

With France in Group I, it means if they top the Group, they will face the third-place team in either Group C/D/F/G/H. If they finish second, they will face the runners-up in Group E, which could include Germany or the Ivory Coast.

If they finish as one of the best third-place nations, they could face any number of winners from Group A/B/D/G/K/L.

If France progress from that first knockout match, they then face a Round of 16 game, followed by a quarter-final, semi-final in order to potentially reach the final on July 19, 2026.

When is the FIFA World Cup 26?

The tournament kicks off June 11, 2026, with host nation Mexico taking on South Africa at the famed Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Nearly six weeks later, the last of the 104 games - the World Cup 26 Final - will be played at MetLife Stadium just outside of New York City on July 19, 2026.

World Cup 2026 format and schedule

With 48 nations involved at this World Cup, there will be 12 Groups of four teams each.

The top two in each group qualify for the knockout stages, with the eight best third-place teams also progressing. That means for the first time in World Cup history, a Round of 32 will be played.

World Cup schedule and key dates:

Group stages: June 11-27
Round of 32: June 28-July 3
Round of 16: July 4-7
Quarter-finals: July 9-11
Semi-finals: July 14-15
Bronze final: July 19
Final: July 19

DAZN/FIFA

Watch World Cup archive, highlights and documentaries for FREE on DAZN

DAZN is the home of FIFA+, a vast library of football on-demand content including World Cup archive, iconic documentaries, player profiles, live matches and both full match replays and highlights.

Watch it all for FREE on DAZN on smart TVs, phones, tablets, streaming devices, games consoles and web browsers.

FIFA+ includes:

• FIFA World Cup archive - full match replays of all matches from Brazil 1970 to Qatar 2022
• World Cup goals - the best goals from each tournament; every goal from every nation from every tournament
• Original documentaries - including Mo: A Global Icon; Golden Boot: The Documentary; After Diego
• Icons of the game - From Pelé to Cristiano Ronaldo
• Behind-the-scenes content
• Live matches from around the world

If you do not already have the FREE DAZN App, then it is easy to download and register for free to start watching

Follow these instructions....

• Download the free DAZN App from your normal App store on your TV, phone, tablet, or streaming device
• On a laptop or PC  visit www.DAZN.com/home
• Select 'Get started' or 'log in'
• Enter your email address, or sign up via the Apple, Google or Facebook options
• You then have access to all of DAZN's free content, including the Matchroom boxing channel, LIV Golf and FIFA+