Iceland-France 2026 World Cup Qualifier Ends in 2-2 Draw with Strong TV Viewership

In the 2026 World Cup qualifier match between Iceland and France, the game concluded in a 2-2 draw, marking the fifth draw in their 17 encounters. Iceland took the lead with Victor Palsson's goal in the 39th minute. France responded in the second half, with Christopher Nkunku equalizing at 63 minutes and Jean-Philippe Mateta, scoring his first national team goal, putting France ahead shortly after. Nevertheless, Iceland leveled the score again through Kristian Hlynsson in the 70th minute, taking advantage of a defensive error by Jules Koundé.

Despite missing key players like captain Kylian Mbappé and Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, France remains unqualified for the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. The match on October 14, 2025, attracted an average of 4.674 million viewers on TF1, corresponding to a 23.8% audience share, showing significant interest but less than the earlier home match on September 9, which drew 5.45 million viewers with a 29.9% share.

These ratings highlight strong public engagement with France's World Cup qualifying campaign despite the challenging draw and squad absences. The match's competitive nature and fluctuating scoreline contributed to sustained viewer attention throughout the broadcast.