Overview
- A win over Ukraine at the Parc des Princes on Thursday would mathematically qualify Les Bleus for the 2026 World Cup, with any other result pushing the outcome to the final fixture in Azerbaijan.
- Didier Deschamps said N’Golo Kanté will start, and multiple outlets report a probable XI featuring Maignan; Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano, Digne; Kanté, Koné; Olise, Cherki, Barcola; Mbappé (captain).
- The FFF will join national commemorations for the 10th anniversary of the 13 November 2015 attacks, including a pre-match moment of silence, with Kylian Mbappé paying tribute in his remarks.
- Following a 17–32 defeat to South Africa, No. 8 Grégory Alldritt is expected to return for France against Fiji in Bordeaux, with further tweaks under consideration in the pack and backline.
- Attack coach Patrick Arlettaz warned France must impose structure against Fiji’s unpredictable threats, while Anthony Jelonch argued media reaction to the Springboks loss overstated the scale of the setback.