The French football team inherited Italy, Belgium and Israel in the strongest group of the next League of Nations, during the draw made Thursday in Paris. Didier Deschamps’ players, in full preparations for the final phase of the Euro (June 14-July 14 in Germany), will participate in this competition from September, before embarking on the qualifications for the 2026 World Cup in United States, Canada and Mexico.
Italy
Belgium
France
IsraelThe draw has delivered its verdict! Here is the group of our Blues who will start next September #ProudtobeBluepic.twitter.com/8agVnDyxpx
— French team ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) February 8, 2024
Placed in the third hat of League A due to its poor performance in the previous edition, the French team will have a complicated group phase.
A third place synonymous with a jump-off
The formula of the League of Nations, that the Blues won in 2021, has evolved a little compared to the three previous editions since now the first two of the four groups of League A will play quarter-finals (first leg on March 20, 2025, return on March 25, 2025) of which the four winners will play a four-way final (June 4-8, 2025).
Unlike previous years, France will have to play the game until the end since this time a possible 3rd place as in 2022 will no longer guarantee it a stay in League A. With the new version of the event, the third places in each group will have to indeed go through a play-off in March 2025 against the runners-up in the League B groups to maintain their position in the continental elite.
First England-Ireland meeting since 1991
In the other League A groups drawn on Thursday, Portugal, winner of the first edition, finds itself with Croatia, third in the 2022 world championship, Poland and Scotland. Title holders Spain will face Denmark, Switzerland and Serbia. In League B, England and the Republic of Ireland will face each other in official competition for the first time since 1991. Their last clash (1-1) took place at Wembley in qualifying for Euro 1992.
A friendly match in 1995 at Lansdowne Road had to be abandoned mid-game after disturbances caused by supporters. The two teams met in a friendly in November 2020 for the last time (3-0 for England).