French Football Federation to Announce Post-Deschamps Coach After 2026 World Cup

Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation (FFF), has confirmed that the successor to Didier Deschamps as head coach of the French national football team will be officially announced only after the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Though Diallo already knows who the future coach is, he emphasized that revealing the name before the tournament could cause distractions for the team. "It's extremely clear, I said first that it would be at the end of the World Cup, meaning after the last match of the French team," Diallo stated during a FIFA event in Paris, referring to the period between the last group stage match on June 29 and the final on July 19, depending on France's progress.

Diallo also disclosed that fewer than five candidates, all French, have applied for the prestigious role of leading Les Bleus, a position he remarked "not everyone can handle." Among the rumored contenders, former French international Zinédine Zidane remains a leading candidate to succeed Deschamps, who will step down after guiding France through the World Cup hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada.

While Diallo joked that "life has many surprises," the federation is keen to maintain focus on the team's performance in the tournament before shifting attention to the coaching transition. This measured approach underlines the importance placed on both continuity and minimizing off-field distractions during one of football's biggest events.