Kylian Mbappé and France may have locked up a spot in the knockout round of the 2026 World Cup, but Les Bleus have some unfinished business to complete.
Thanks to securing six points from back-to-back commanding wins over Senegal and Iraq, Mbappe and Co. find themselves in a position to clinch Group I on Friday against Erling Haaland and Norway at Gillette Stadium (known for the tournament as Boston Stadium).
But Les Bleus will look to clinch the group’s top spot without head coach Didier Deschamps on the bench.
Should France not be able to at least draw Noway and its viral “Viking Row” fanbase, it will finish as the runner-up in the group, and Norway will win the group instead. Both teams head into the match tied with a 2-0-0 record and six points, though France leads the goal differential tiebreaker.
France and Norway are set for a 3 p.m. ET kickoff on Friday.
Here’s what to know about why Deschamps will not be in attendance for Friday’s World Cup match:
Why is Didier Deschamps not coaching France in World Cup today?
Deschamps will be missing France’s World Cup match on Friday for family reasons.
The French Football Federation announced on Tuesday, June 23 that Deschamps returned to France following the death of his mother, who passed away on Tuesday.
“The national team coach learned this morning of the death of his mother and will return to France to attend her funeral,” the French Football Federation said in a statement.
“In agreement with Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, who is currently at the France team’s base camp, Deschamps has entrusted assistant coach Guy Stephan with responsibility for leading the squad until his return.”
Who is coaching France today in World Cup vs Norway?
In Deschamps’ spot will be a longtime France assistant, Guy Stephan. Stephan has served as an assistant coach under Deschamps since the former France captain took over the national team in 2012.
France vs Norway: Time, TV channel for World Cup match
- Date: Friday, June 26
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)
- TV channel: Fox, Telemundo
- Streaming: Fubo (free trial) | Peacock (Spanish)
France and Norway are set for a 3 p.m. ET start on Friday, June 26 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Group I match will be broadcast on Fox with streaming options including Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers, and Peacock, NBC’s subscription streaming service that will carry the Spanish-language broadcast.
