France Narrowly Misses Quarterfinals at 2026 Men's Flag Football World Cup

In a gripping group stage match held in Düsseldorf, the French men's flag football team was eliminated from the 2026 World Cup after a close 34-31 defeat to Italy, the reigning European champions. Despite previously defeating Great Britain to keep their quarter-final hopes alive, France fell short in a match marked by intense back-and-forth scoring. Italy opened the match with an early touchdown following a French defensive penalty, but Anthony Mahoungou kept France in the game with crucial responses. The first half ended with France trailing just 20-18.

Early in the second half, a pivotal moment came when Mathias Ciocan caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from Damien Sabatino to give France a 25-20 lead for the first time. However, Italy answered strongly to regain and extend their advantage to 34-25. Though Mahoungou scored again late to narrow the gap to 34-31, France was unable to secure the final possession needed to overturn the score. Consequently, France's journey in the tournament ended before the quarterfinals.

France will now compete in a classification match against Brazil as they aim to finish the tournament positively. This narrow elimination marks a significant moment in France's 2026 World Cup campaign, demonstrating competitive resilience despite falling just short against Europe's best teams.