Didier Deschamps will announce France's World Cup roster soon as he leads the team into the 2026 tournament. This will be his last tournament as coach, aiming for a successful farewell.
Key points
Didier Deschamps will announce France's World Cup roster
This is Deschamps' last tournament as coach
France won the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Deschamps is expected to be replaced by Zinedine Zidane
Didier Deschamps will lead France into one last tournament in 2026 as he aims to win the FIFA World Cup.
Les Bleus were champions in 2018 and reached the final four years ago, where they fell to Lionel Messi and Argentina on penalties after a gripping 3-3 draw.
Deschamps will step down after this year's World Cup in North America and is expected to be replaced by Zinedine Zidane. He will be hoping for a glorious end to a tenure that has also seen France win the UEFA Nations League and finish as runners-up at their home Euros in 2016.
Below are the key details on when the France roster announcement will take place.
France's final World Cup roster will be announced on Thursday, May 14.
Deschamps had initially planned to name his squad on May 13, but he postponed it by 24 hours because of the controversially rearranged Ligue 1 game between Paris Saint-Germain and Lens on that same day.
As per FIFA regulations, competing teams at the World Cup must submit a provisional squad of players by May 11, and their final, whittled-down list no later than May 30.
How many players are in France's World Cup roster?
The final squad must contain at least 23 players and no more than 26. The only other stipulation is that at least three of these players must be goalkeepers.
Up to 27 team officials will complete the travelling party.
Can France replace players in their World Cup roster?
Teams are allowed to make a change to their squad due to injury or illness up to 24 hours before their first scheduled game of the tournament. Medical proof of the reason behind the withdrawal must be sent to FIFA for approval.
France's Group I opener against Senegal is on June 16 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, meaning any replacements would have to be arranged by June 15. After that, the squad is set for the tournament.
The one exception concerns goalkeepers: if any of the three are injured or ill and has to withdraw, they can be replaced by another keeper from the provisional list at any stage of the competition (again, subject to FIFA ratifying the change).
Where is France's World Cup hotel and training camp?
France are due to be based at the Four Seasons in Boston for the World Cup.
According to L'Equipe, Deschamps favoured staying in the area as their group games are all on the Eastern seaboard. The hotel is in downtown Boston, making it more of a bustling location than certain other teams have chosen, but the five-star accommodation includes an indoor pool an ample amenities for players to use.
The team will reportedly use Babson College in Wellesley for training. The campus boasts a huge sports complex, offering pitches and indoor facilities, including a gym for recovery work.
