France's 2026 World Cup Schedule: When and Where Mbappé's Side Play
Kylian Mbappé and France know their group stage path at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Didier Deschamps' side have been placed in Group I alongside Senegal, Norway and Iraq — a group that looks straightforward on paper but contains at least two fixtures capable of producing genuine drama.
France's Group Stage Fixtures:
- June 16 — France vs Senegal | New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford | 3pm ET
- June 22 — France vs Iraq | Philadelphia Stadium | 5pm ET
- June 26 — Norway vs France | Boston Stadium, Foxborough | 3pm ET
France open their campaign at MetLife Stadium — the venue that will also host the World Cup final on July 19 — against Senegal. The fixture carries significant historical weight: in 2002, Senegal produced one of the tournament's greatest upsets by beating France 1-0 in the group stage when Les Bleus were reigning world champions. Deschamps will not need reminding.
The Iraq match in Philadelphia offers France an opportunity to consolidate, but it is the final group game against Norway in Boston that has the makings of a genuine spectacle. Erling Haaland's Norway are back at the World Cup for the first time since 1998, arriving with one of the most dangerous strikers on the planet and genuine ambitions of causing an upset against a side that has reached the last two World Cup finals.
France are among the tournament favourites. Group I gives them every chance to arrive at the knockout rounds in form — but they will need to be at their best from the very first whistle.
The 2026 World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, with the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
