France's national football team, led by superstar Kylian Mbappe, are set to begin their journey towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a crucial qualifying match against Ukraine. The game, scheduled for September 5th, marks the start of a compressed qualification campaign for Les Bleus, featuring six matches across September, October, and November.
France's World Cup Ambitions
Despite a recent defeat to Spain in the UEFA Nations League final, France are heavily favoured to top their qualifying group. With Didier Deschamps at the helm, who has confirmed he will step down after the 2026 tournament, the team aims to secure a spot and contend for the ultimate prize in North America.
Ukraine's Challenges and Squad
Ukraine, due to ongoing security concerns, will play their designated home matches in Poland. Coach Serhiy Rebrov has called up several familiar Premier League faces, including Oleksandr Zinchenko. However, Vitaliy Mykolenko had to withdraw due to injury, with Vladyslav Dubinchak stepping in. Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin is also sidelined due to injury. Roma's Artem Dovbyk is expected to lead the Ukrainian attack, while Illia Zabarnyi, now with PSG, will anchor the defence.
- Ukraine Predicted Starting XI (4-5-1): Trubin (GK) — Konoplya, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Dubinchak — Tsyhankov, Zinchenko, Shaparenko, Kalyuzhnyi, Sudakov — Dovbyk
The match promises to be a compelling encounter as both teams vie for a strong start in their World Cup qualifying campaign. Football fans across South Africa will be keenly watching to see if France can live up to their billing as favourites and whether Ukraine can spring a surprise.