France will host Italy at the Stade de France on Friday, October 2, 2026, at 20:45 local time (UTC+2) for a Group A1 match in the UEFA Nations League. The encounter marks the first time Zinédine Zidane manages the French national team on home soil, following two away victories in his opening matches at the helm.
Stakes in Group A1 for France and Italy
The French national team enters the third matchday of the Nations League aiming to maintain their perfect record and secure their position at the top of Group A1. Under Zidane’s leadership, the team has recorded two 1-0 victories: an away win against Turkey and a narrow victory over Belgium, according to reporting by lefigaro.fr. A win on Friday would see Zidane join Henri Michel (1984) and Aimé Jacquet (1994) as the only French coaches to begin their tenure with three victories.
For Italy, the match represents a critical attempt to regain momentum. Managed by Roberto Mancini, the squad is working to rebuild following their absence from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While Italy suffered a 0-2 defeat to Belgium in their opening group match, they responded with a 1-4 victory over Turkey, sport.fr reported. Despite this recent result, the team faces significant personnel challenges, with several key players including Dimarco, Cambiaso, Buongiorno, Cristante, and Locatelli sidelined by injuries.
Team News and Projected Lineups
France continues to navigate a list of absences, with captain Kylian Mbappé unavailable due to a knee injury. Other notable players missing from the squad for this international window include Saliba, Tchouaméni, Zaïre-Emery, Konaté, Ekitiké, and Mateta, sport.fr noted. The French side is expected to utilize a 4-3-3 formation featuring Maignan in goal, with a defense comprised of Koundé, Upamecano, Lacroix, and Truffert. The midfield is likely to include Cherki, Koné, and Rabiot, while the attacking trio is expected to feature Olise, Dembélé, and Doué.
Italy’s probable 4-3-3 lineup includes Donnarumma in goal, supported by a defensive line of Di Lorenzo, Scalvini, Bastoni, and Calafiori. The midfield is projected to consist of Frattesi, Tonali, and Barella, with Kean, Esposito, and Raspadori leading the attack, according to sport.fr. The availability of Italian captain Barella remains uncertain.
France Dominates Recent Meetings Against Italy
Friday’s match will be the 42nd meeting between France and Italy. Historically, the record favors Italy with 20 victories, 13 for France, and eight draws. However, lefigaro.fr points out that this historical trend has shifted in recent decades; since the 1980s, France has won 10 of their 14 encounters with the Italians, suffering only two defeats. The most recent match took place on November 17, 2024, in Milan, where France secured a 3-1 win with two goals from Adrien Rabiot and an own goal by Guglielmo Vicario.
Zidane’s Return to the Stade de France
For Zinédine Zidane, the Stade de France holds significant personal history. He scored the stadium’s first-ever goal in a 1-0 victory over Spain on January 28, 1998, and played his 50th and 100th international caps at the venue. Zidane also noted his emotional connection to the stadium during a press conference, stating, “It’s a big emotion.”
Zidane’s professional history is also deeply intertwined with Italian football, having spent five seasons at Juventus between 1996 and 2001, where he won two Serie A titles and the 1998 Ballon d’Or. Addressing the media on Thursday, he also touched upon his final match as a player against Italy in the 2006 World Cup final, reiterating that he is not proud of the incident involving Marco Materazzi, describing it as part of a life journey where “we do things that are not top.”
Questions Regarding the Upcoming Match
Where can fans watch the match?
The game will be broadcast on TF1 in France. Live text commentary will also be available on various sports news platforms.
What is the current standings situation?
France enters the match as the leader of Group A1 with six points from two matches, having kept two clean sheets, while Italy sits in the middle of the table following a loss to Belgium and a win against Turkey.
How have the teams performed in their previous Nations League outings?
France defeated Turkey 1-0 and Belgium 1-0, while Italy opened their campaign with a 0-2 loss to Belgium before defeating Turkey 1-4.
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