The 2026 World Cup draw, held Friday in Washington, placed the France team in Group I with Senegal, Norway, and an intercontinental playoff winner. A specific rule on playoff teams from pot 4 prevented Uzbekistan from joining the Bleus, redirecting them to Erling Haaland's Norway. Didier Deschamps described the group as one of the toughest.
The 2026 World Cup draw took place Friday at Washington's Kennedy Center, attended by Donald Trump and figures like Andrea Bocelli and Robbie Williams. This expanded 48-team tournament will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Didier Deschamps' Bleus, with the coach set to depart after the event, drew Group I, seen as one of the toughest.
Initially, Uzbekistan from pot 3 appeared headed to Group I with France and Senegal. But a regulation rule intervened: playoff teams from pot 4, from the second intercontinental playoff (Bolivia, Iraq, or Suriname), cannot join a group already featuring a non-European nation except in specific cases. Only Groups I and L met this criterion. Group L, with England and Croatia, could not add a third European team like Norway. Thus, Uzbekistan was reassigned to Group K (with Portugal and Colombia), and Norway joined the Bleus.
Didier Deschamps reacted measuredly: «We don't know the last opponent, but with Senegal and Norway, this group is obviously one of the most difficult, if not the most.» On Senegal (19th in FIFA rankings), he recalls the 'bad memory' of 2002 but highlights fraternal ties through binational players and French clubs: «The national team is competitive.» For Norway (29th), he praises Haaland and Sorloth: «It is one of Europe's very great teams.»
Group I matches will occur in Philadelphia, Boston, Toronto, or New York on the East Coast. Exact dates and times will be announced Saturday. The top two from each group and the eight best third-placed teams advance to the round of 16. Deschamps stresses humility: «Before seeing the top of the mountain, we must climb the steps. The first steps are difficult.»
