Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron visited Clairefontaine on Tuesday to meet with the French national football team. The visit took place at the National Football Centre, the team's training base before major tournaments. The meeting was held a few days before the squad's departure from Didier Deschamps For the United States, the deadline is set for June 10th.
A trip before the big departure
The French national team is preparing for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Before heading to their American base in Boston, the players are staying together at Clairefontaine, where the training camp began on May 29.
The timing is tight. France still has two warm-up matches to play before leaving the country: against Ivory Coast this Thursday in Nantes, then against Northern Ireland on June 8 in Lille. These two matches should allow Didier Deschamps to fine-tune his starting eleven, test the balance of the squad, and manage the remaining fitness levels of the players.
Deschamps facing his last World Cup
This visit has particular significance for Didier Deschamps. The manager is leading Les Bleus through his fourth World Cup, after 2014, 2018 and 2022. He has already announced that he will leave the French national team after the 2026 World Cup. Emmanuel Macron He also paid tribute to the coach before this trip, stating that he would miss him. "DD"The head of state praised Deschamps' longevity, his sense of teamwork and the results achieved since he took office in 2012.
The schedule for the French national team in the first round
France will play in Group I. Their first match will be against Senegal on Tuesday, June 16, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New York. Les Bleus will then face Iraq on Monday, June 22, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Their third group match will be against Norway on Friday, June 26, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, near Boston. This schedule places Les Bleus on the American East Coast for the entire group stage. Their base in Boston will minimize long trips between the first three matches.
A visit already seen before the major tournaments
Emmanuel Macron had already visited the French national team before the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. His trip to Clairefontaine thus follows a familiar presidential ritual: a visit to the château, discussions with the staff, a message of encouragement, photos with the players, and then back to training. Will this bring about a change for Les Bleus? We'll find out in the coming weeks…
