World Cup 2026: Semifinals set as minimum target for France

France begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Senegal with the status of runners-up from the last tournament and, since Spain’s shock elimination by Cape Verde, as the bookmakers’ designated favorites.

“We have quite a generation, especially offensively… Even our opponents see us as strong. With this squad, not reaching the semifinals would be a disappointment,” declared consultant Éric Di Meco in an interview with La Provence. A clear verdict that sets the minimum requirement for Didier Deschamps’ team.

Di Meco acknowledges, however, that other top nations will have their say. “Spain is the big favorite, England and Portugal have superb generations. We have to mention Argentina, even if I imagine them running out of steam,” he adds. La Roja, despite being designated as the tournament favorite beforehand, was held by Cape Verde right from the start, which reshuffled the hierarchy of contenders.

Before considering the semifinals, France must first master their group stage. Di Meco warns against overconfidence: “When you look at the group we have, we can’t slip up. Between Senegal and Norway, one mistake could drop you to second place and make the path a bit more complicated.” Topping the group therefore remains the immediate priority to avoid a tougher knockout bracket from the round of 16 onwards.