Just over eight months remain until the FIFA World Cup 2026, and qualifying campaigns across most continents are approaching their decisive stages. Europe is no exception, and one of the top contenders there is France. The latest squad includes Kylian Mbappe and notably excludes Ousmane Dembele.
On Thursday, the full list of 23 players selected by head coach Didier Deschamps was announced for the October international break, when France will face Azerbaijan and Iceland in Group D of the European qualifiers.
As expected, Mbappe is the star of the squad. The 26-year-old forward has been in outstanding form with Real Madrid at the start of his second season there and will continue to be a key figure in Deschamps’ system, just as he has been in recent years.
However, the other major French star will not be available. Ousmane Dembele is not among the 23 players called up for the international break, meaning he won’t get the chance to showcase his recent Ballon d’Or win in front of the French fans.
Dembele’s absence is due to injury. The winger has been sidelined for nearly a month because of a hamstring injury he suffered while playing for France during the September international break. As a result, he has missed Paris Saint-Germain’s last five matches, including this week’s 2–1 UEFA Champions League win over Barcelona.
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France’s full squad for the October international break
Alongside Ousmane Dembele, another key absence is Aurelien Tchouameni. The Real Madrid midfielder must serve a two-match suspension after being sent off in France’s last game against Iceland, and thus will not be available for the October fixtures.
The 23 players called up by Didier Deschamps are:
- Goalkeepers: Lucas Chevalier, Mike Maignan, Brice Samba
- Defenders: Lucas Digne, Malo Gusto, Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konate, Jules Kounde, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano
- Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga, Manu Kone, Michael Olise, Adrien Rabiot, Khephren Thuram
- Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, Kingsley Coman, Hugo Ekitike, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Kylian Mbappe, Christopher Nkunku
France’s position in the World Cup qualifiers
After two matches, France lead Group D in the World Cup qualifiers with 6 points, holding a 3-point advantage over second-place Iceland. Further behind are Ukraine and Azerbaijan, each with 1 point. If Deschamps’ squad wins both of its October matches, it will be on the brink of qualification. However, to clinch it immediately, France will also need Iceland to drop points against Ukraine. Otherwise, qualification will have to wait until November.
