France Faces Setback in Crucial World Cup Qualifier Against Iceland

On October 13, 2025, the French national football team played a pivotal World Cup 2026 qualifying match against Iceland in Reykjavik at the Laugardalsvöllur stadium. France, leading their group with three wins and aiming to secure qualification for the World Cup hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada, faced a significant challenge without their captain Kylian Mbappé and several injured forwards.

Despite a strong start to the qualifiers, France struggled in the match, described as sluggish and passive, falling 1-0 behind Iceland. Key attacking players, including Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Marcus Thuram, and Bradley Barcola, were also unavailable, prompting coach Didier Deschamps to adjust the lineup. Jean-Philippe Mateta started in the attack alongside experienced players Kingsley Coman, Christopher Nkunku, and Florian Thauvin. Defensively, Mike Maignan captained the team for the first time, with Jules Koundé, William Saliba, and Dayot Upamecano among the defenders.

France's qualification depended not only on this match but also on the outcome of Ukraine's game against Azerbaijan. A victory against Iceland combined with a non-win for Ukraine would secure France's place in the 2026 World Cup. However, the current scoreline puts their qualification hopes at risk.

The game was broadcast live on TF1 with streaming available on TF1+, underscoring the high interest in this crucial encounter. Iceland, led by captain Johannesson, demonstrated strong competitiveness, disrupting France's typical dominance.

The result of this match will significantly influence France's World Cup 2026 pathway as they seek their third consecutive appearance and potentially a third star on their jersey. The team must overcome the performance issues seen against Iceland to ensure qualification remains within reach.