Zinedine Zidane Set to Lead France as Deschamps Era Ends
The wait is almost over. The French Football Federation has circled a date on the calendar that could redefine the future of Les Bleus.
On Thursday, the federation confirmed it will hold a press conference on Tuesday 28 July 2026 at its headquarters, starting at 11am, with president Philippe Diallo front and centre. Officially, it is to “present the new coach of Les Bleus.” Unofficially, the football world is already reading the name on the door: Zinedine Zidane.
Didier Deschamps steps aside after 14 years in charge, his tenure ending with a blunt, almost clinical final act. No farewell ceremony. No lap of honour. Just a line drawn under one of the most successful reigns in international football, and a new chapter opening at full speed.
Local newspapers had already flagged the date on Wednesday night. The federation has now matched it, and the stage is set. Before the press conference, an extraordinary meeting of the executive committee will rubber-stamp the appointment and present the new coach to the media.
All roads lead to Zidane.
Zidane’s Long-Awaited Return
Zidane has been out of the dugout since leaving Real Madrid in June 2021. Five years. For a coach with his record, that is an eternity. Offers arrived from across Europe and beyond. He turned them down, one after another, waiting for one job.
France.
His name has hovered over the national team for years, a constant presence in every discussion about the future beyond Deschamps. Now, those discussions are becoming reality. Reliable reports in France have already placed Zidane as the leading candidate and effectively Deschamps’ successor, with an agreement in place and only the final touches on his backroom staff still to be resolved.
Even French politics has moved around him. Recent reforms in parliament on salary caps will not apply to Zidane, who has secured a special exemption from the relevant authorities. For a figure of his stature, the rules bend.
He returns not as the artist in midfield, but as the architect of a new era.
No Soft Landing for Zizou
If Zidane wanted a gentle reintroduction to coaching, the fixture list had other ideas.
His first steps as France head coach, scheduled across the September and October international breaks, are anything but a warm-up. The UEFA Nations League throws him straight into the deep end with a series of heavyweight clashes.
The journey begins on 25 September with an away trip to Turkey, a notoriously hostile environment and a stern test of his ability to impose ideas quickly. Three days later, on 28 September, he takes France to Belgium, against one of Europe’s most technically gifted sides.
Then comes the night that will carry a different weight altogether.
On 2 October, Zidane walks out at Stade de France for his first home match in charge, facing Italy. The symbolism is impossible to ignore. Five years as a player at Juventus shaped his career; now he meets the Azzurri from the other side of the touchline, leading the country he took to the 1998 World Cup crown and the Euro 2000 title.
The story may not end there. Deschamps has been heavily linked with the Italian national team following his departure from France. If those reports are confirmed, future meetings with Italy could turn into a duel between France’s past and present on the touchline.
For now, Zidane’s focus will be on navigating a brutal Nations League group that offers almost no margin for error.
A Nations League Gauntlet
After Italy at home, France stay in the fire.
On 5 October, they host Belgium in what promises to be another high-intensity encounter. Then, on 12 November, France travel to Italy, a fixture that could carry even more narrative weight if Deschamps does indeed take over there. The group stage closes on 15 November with France welcoming Turkey.
France’s Nations League schedule under Zidane:
- Turkey v France – 25 September
- Belgium v France – 28 September
- France v Italy – 2 October
- France v Belgium – 5 October
- Italy v France – 12 November
- France v Turkey – 15 November
No friendlies. No easing in. Just a string of tests against seasoned opponents, each one sharpening the spotlight on the new man in charge.
The Deschamps era fades without ceremony. Zidane walks into a furnace. For a legend who has never shied away from the biggest stages, it is exactly the kind of beginning that will define whether this long-awaited union between Zizou and Les Bleus was worth the wait.
