Zinédine Zidane will announce his first squad as the manager of the France national football team on Friday, September 18, at 6:00 p.m. local time (16:00 UTC) at the French Football Federation headquarters, according to multiple sports reports. Appointed to the post on July 28 following a change of era for Les Bleus, the 1998 World Cup winner is set to hold his maiden press conference to outline his player selections for the upcoming autumn international window.
The announcement date marks a slight departure from the routine established by his predecessor, Didier Deschamps. While Deschamps typically named his squads on the Thursday afternoon preceding a gathering, Zidane’s first roster will be unveiled on a Friday evening, giving fans and media their first concrete look at the tactical direction of the new coaching staff.
Before the squad reveal, the French Football Federation will confirm the final composition of Zidane’s coaching staff on September 15. The unveiling will be closely watched across Europe as observers look for early signs of how the former Real Madrid boss plans to manage established veterans alongside younger prospects seeking an opportunity under a fresh regime.
Zidane will step immediately into a dense competitive schedule upon taking charge, with Les Bleus facing four UEFA Nations League fixtures across an 11-day stretch. The national team will travel to face Turkey on September 25, followed by an away fixture against Belgium on September 28. France then returns home to host Italy on October 2 before concluding the block with a home fixture against Belgium on October 5. All four matches are scheduled to kick off at 8:45 p.m. local time, with live broadcasts managed through domestic rights holders including TF1 and TF1+.
The next confirmed checkpoint for the national team is the official staff announcement by the French Football Federation on September 15, leading directly into the squad reveal on September 18.
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