The 2026 World Cup field is officially taking shape, with France becoming the first major powerhouse to unveil its roster for the upcoming tournament. While superstars Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele headline the star-studded list, Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga provided the shock of the day after being left out of the squad entirely.
In a high-production reveal video, head coach Didier Deschamps named the 26 players tasked with conquering North America this summer. Les Bleus find themselves in Group I, widely considered one of the tournament’s “Groups of Death,” where they will battle Sadio Mane’s Senegal, Iraq, and Erling Haaland’s Norway.
France will lean heavily on 2024-25 Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappe and 2025 Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele to spearhead the hunt for a third star. Along with Lucas Hernandez, this duo will be the only players on the roster to feature in three consecutive World Cups, a run that includes the 2018 title in Russia and the 2022 final in Qatar.
The omission of Eduardo Camavinga stands as the most glaring storyline of the selection process. “I imagine his disappointment. He is coming off a difficult season where he played less and dealt with injuries. I have choices to make, a squad structure (to maintain),” commented Didier Deschamps on TF1.
In a move that caught many by surprise, RC Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser earned a spot on the final 26-man roster. The 21-year-old’s inclusion marks his first-ever call-up by Deschamps, as he beat out the likes of PSG’s Lucas Chevalier and West Ham’s Alphonse Areola, both of whom struggled for consistent minutes this season.
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France’s full 2026 World Cup roster
- Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Robin Risser (RC Lens), Brice Samba (Stade Rennes).
- Defenders: Lucas Digne (Aston Vila), Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Lucas Hernandez (PSG), Theo Hernandez (Al Hilal), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (FC Barcelona), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace), Wiliam Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich).
- Midfielders : N’Golo Kante (Fenerbahce), Manu Kone (AS Rome), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG).
- Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche (AS Monaco), Bradley Barcola (PSG), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Ousmane Dembele (PSG), Desire Doue (PSG), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan).
More than half of the 2022 squad will miss the 2026 trip
France entered the 2022 World Cup aiming to become the first repeat champions since Brazil in 1962, but those dreams were dashed by Lionel Messi’s Argentina in an epic final. Since that heartbreak, Deschamps has overseen a massive rebuilding process for what is expected to be his final World Cup on the French touchline.
The turnover is staggering; of the 26 players who traveled to Qatar four years ago, 14 will not be joining the team in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. Most notably, the entire 2022 goalkeeping core of Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda, and Alphonse Areola has been completely phased out in favor of new blood.
The following 14 players from the 2022 squad were excluded due to international retirement or tactical decisions:
- Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola, Hugo Lloris, and Steve Mandanda.
- Defenders: Axel Disasi, Benjamin Pavard, and Raphael Varane.
- Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga, Youssouf Fofana, Matteo Guendouzi, Jordan Veretout.
- Forwards: Kingsley Coman, Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, and Randal Kolo Muani.
