France to Face Ivory Coast in Friendly in Nantes Ahead of 2026 World Cup

Philippe Diallo, President of the French Football Federation, has announced that the French national team will play a friendly match against Ivory Coast on June 4 in Nantes. This fixture is part of the preparatory program for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals. Diallo revealed the details of this encounter during his visit to Abidjan, the Ivorian capital, where arrangements for the match were finalized. The game represents the penultimate stop in France's preparations before traveling to compete in the World Cup.

The decision to select Nantes as the host city for this match is a gesture to honor coaches Didier Deschamps and Emerse Faé, recognizing their historical ties to the Nantes football academy. In this context, Philippe Diallo stated, “This match will be a tribute to the coaches, as both Didier Deschamps and Emerse Faé belong to the Nantes school, and they will thus return to a city and a stadium they know well.” He also highlighted the significant emotional impact of returning to the grounds where their professional football careers began.

France's series of friendly matches will conclude on June 8 in Lille against an opponent yet to be determined. Prior to these fixtures, the team will travel to the United States in March to face Brazil and Colombia. The French national team is scheduled to kick off its World Cup campaign on June 16 against Senegal, before meeting a playoff winner and Norway. The final squad list for the tournament is expected to be announced in mid-May.