Zinédine Zidane has won both his games as France manager, both 1-0 and both away. His first home game brings Italy, the country where he played his club football for Juventus, and France host them at the Stade de France on Friday 2 October 2026, kick-off 19:45 BST. A win would put daylight between them and everybody else in Group A1.
Form & stake
France lead with six points and a goal difference of +2. Kylian Mbappé scored in the 54th minute to beat Türkiye on 25 September, and Michael Olise then scored in the 88th minute to win in Belgium on 28 September. Two goals in 180 minutes is a thin return for a squad this good, and both wins came from a single strike that arrived late in the game or after the break. Narrow margins.
Italy have three points. They lost 2-0 at home to Belgium on 25 September, with Godts and Lukébakio scoring, and then beat Türkiye 4-1 on 28 September, when Alessandro Bastoni, Davide Frattesi, Michael Kayode and Pio Esposito all scored, and three of those goals arrived before the half-hour. That is a big swing in three days. Roberto Mancini’s side are third, level on points and goal difference with Belgium.
Italy have not beaten France since 2012, according to Goal, and France won the last meeting between the sides in this competition 3-1 in November 2024. History favours the hosts. Both teams play again on Monday 5 October: France host Belgium and Italy host Türkiye.
Team news & injuries
France have lost Ibrahima Konaté, who withdrew from the squad with a right-leg collateral ligament injury sustained in training, and Leny Yoro of Manchester United received a senior call-up as his replacement. Zidane loses a centre-back. Kylian Mbappé has also picked up a knock to his knee and has now returned to Madrid.
Italy have no confirmed injuries or suspensions, so Mancini can pick from a full squad and repeat the side that scored four at Türkiye if he wants to keep the momentum.
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Predicted line-ups
No confirmed XI was available at the time of writing, so only the players who have scored this month are named.
France: Mbappé and Olise have scored the goals, and Zidane will not change what has worked twice. The centre-back pairing is the open question without Konaté. Yoro is more likely to be on the bench than in the XI, but a first cap in Saint-Denis against Italy would be a hard debut for anyone.
Italy: Mancini can keep the side that scored four in Türkiye, with Frattesi arriving from midfield and Bastoni stepping out of defence. Kayode, who scored on his debut in that game, is another player to watch. The concern is what happens against opponents who defend properly: Belgium kept Italy scoreless.
The key battle
Olise against Italy’s defence in the final ten minutes. That sounds narrow, and it is. France have needed a 54th-minute goal and an 88th-minute goal to win, so the game is likely to stay tight until late, and Italy’s back line has to survive the last quarter of an hour without switching off. Belgium’s goals against Italy came in the 20th and 69th minutes, France’s against Belgium in the 88th, and the pattern says the decisive moment will arrive late. Fine margins decide this group.
Prediction & tip
France have not been convincing, and Italy arrive in form. That is a fair case for a close game, and one Italy can win. France have the home advantage, the better record against this opponent and a front line that has settled both matches so far, and Zidane will not want his first night at the Stade de France to end in defeat to Italy. France win.
Tip: France win. Predicted score: France 2-1 Italy.
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