Match Information
Fixture: France vs Senegal
Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group I
Date: June 16, 2026
Kick-off Time: 19:00 UTC
Stadium: MetLife Stadium
Capacity: 80,000
France Begin Their World Cup Campaign
France will kick off their World Cup journey in MetLife Stadium in the opening match of Group I against Senegal.
France enter the 2026 FIFA World Cup as one of the leading favorites, while Senegal arrive with enough quality and experience to trouble any opponent on their day.
Injury and Team News
French center back William Saliba had an injury that he sustained during the Champions League final, and his World Cup dreams were initially in doubt, but the player gained match fitness and is back training with the team ahead of the opener. He is expected to start in the match along with Upamecano in the defense.
Jules Kounde is also fit to start as the center back after recovering from the injury scare against Northern Ireland.
Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly had a leg injury while playing for Al Hilal, which sidelined the player for the past two months, but the player is expected to start against France.
Both teams enter the opener without any major injury concerns.
Why France Are Among the Favorites
France, led by Didier Deschamps, has highly rated players in every position for the World Cup; they enter the tournament as one of the leading contenders for the title.
They have an elite goalkeeper, defensive unit, and attack, but they lack an elite deep-lying playmaker in the squad along with Kante's box-to-box energy. Neither Tchouaméni nor Rabiot has the ability to dictate the game from deep. Warren Zaïre-Emery has the ability to control the game from the deep, but he is not a preferred starting option for Deschamps so far in the national team.
France possesses an elite attacking unit capable of breaking down even the most stubborn defenses with Mbappé, Dembélé, Thuram, Olise, Cherki, Doué, and Barcola. If the attackers of the French team are clinical, then it will be difficult for Senegal to outscore France.
Olise, Dembele, and Mbappe are likely to start in the heavily loaded attack, and Cherki, Barcola, and Doue are expected to start from the bench.
Experience Key for the Lions of Teranga
Senegal has a set of players that could stay strong in the defense and cause trouble in the counterattack. Malick Diouf of West Ham is one to watch in the Senegalese attack along with Mané and Ndiaye.
Pape Thiaw’s Senegal may lack depth from the bench, but they have a starting 11 that can pose a threat against any team in the world with pace and physical strength.
Senegal will try to utilize the experience of Sadio Mané, Mendy, Pape Sarr, and Koulibaly to the maximum to beat France.
Expected lineups
France : Maignan, Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, T. Hernandez, Tchouameni, Rabiot, Olise, Doue, Mbappe, Dembele
Senegal : Mendy; Diatta, Koulibaly, Niakhate, Diouf; Camara, P. Gueye; Sarr, Diarra, Mane; Jackson
Prediction and Forecast
The match is likely to be a closely contended encounter; however, France has a clear edge to win the fixture with the quality of their attack.
Predicted Score : France 3-1 Senegal