Kylian Mbappe will turn 27 during the 2026 World Cup — his absolute prime. After a debut Champions League-winning season at Real Madrid (partnered with Vinicius Jr and Bellingham), Mbappe arrives battle-hardened and supremely confident. In Qatar 2022 he scored 8 goals despite France losing the final. In 2026, with four years more experience, double figures are achievable.
France's depth is genuinely frightening. Camavinga, Tchouameni, Rabiot in midfield. Theo Hernandez at left back. Up front: Mbappe, Dembele, Coman, Thuram — Deschamps has genuine world-class options in every position. The defensive platform with Kounde, Upamecano and Saliba gives France a solid foundation that 2022 lacked when key defenders were missing.
France won in 1998 and 2018. They were runners-up in 2006 and 2022. This consistency at major tournaments is unmatched by most rivals. The one threat: France can sometimes underperform in group stages and rely on finding form in knockouts. England (5/1), Brazil (7/2) and Spain (6/1) are the main rivals to France's 4/1 favourites tag.
France have won the World Cup twice: 1998 (as hosts, beat Brazil 3-0 in the final) and 2018 (beat Croatia 4-2 in Moscow). They were runners-up in 2006 and 2022.
France are the current favourites at approximately 4/1 to 5/1 depending on the bookmaker. They are consistently listed alongside Brazil and England as the top three contenders.