Ahead of this encounter, Softfootball understands that for the French National Team, the job is simple: win on home soil and secure one of Europe’s earliest tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and that moment comes on Thursday as they host the Ukraine national football team at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
France currently sit atop Group D with 10 points, and a win would seal their place in the tournament. They will be hoping to avoid any further slip-ups, especially after that 2-2 draw against Iceland. Ukraine, meanwhile, trail by three points and must pull off a result here to revive their own hopes of a top-two finish.
The mood in the French camp is very electric, with France offering a glimpse of their training session via the team’s official X account.
Watch the video below:
Team News
France’s squad is missing some familiar faces: Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué remain sidelined, while midfielders Adrien Rabiot and Aurélien Tchouaméni are also unavailable. However, manager Didier Deschamps has called back N’Golo Kanté into the fold as cover in midfield.
On the Ukrainian side, Oleksandr Zinchenko is ruled out with a groin injury, while veteran forward Artem Dovbyk is doubtful. Their manager, Sergiy Rebrov is counting on Ruslan Malinovskyi, who scored three goals in October’s qualifiers, to spark a surprise.
Possible Lineups
France (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Digne; Kone, Kante; Barcola, Olise, Mbappe; Mateta
Ukraine (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Konoplya, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Mykolenko; Shaparenko, Malinovskyi; Yaremchuk, Ocheretko, Voloshyn; Vanat
Softfootball’s Prediction
France holds all the cards: unbeaten at home against Ukraine (W4, D2) and already beat them 2-0 away earlier this campaign with goals from Michael Olise and Kylian Mbappe. Their attacking numbers are strong , they’ve scored 2+ goals in their last seven internationals and regularly find the net after the hour mark. Ukraine, though improving, have never scored more than once in a trip to France and a win here looks a tall order.
Prediction: France 3-1 Ukraine
Expect France to dominate possession and territory, and Ukraine to try and hit on the counter. Mbappé threatens the France goal-scoring record, as France has the experience, the platform, and the home crowd; the ticket to the World Cup is within arm’s reach.
