The post-Didier Deschamps It has become clearer. Zinédine Zidane will officially begin his tenure as manager of the French national team on September 1, 2026, according to information from The TeamThe date of the public announcement of his arrival has not yet been set, but the date of his entry into office is already included in the documents exchanged between the different parties.
The third-place match will mark the end of the Deschamps era.
Didier Deschamps will manage Les Bleus one last time this Saturday night in Miami, during the World Cup third-place match against England, scheduled for 23 p.m. This match will bring an end to his tenure as head coach of the French national team. In charge since 2012, Deschamps will therefore leave the national team after this final match for third place. His successor is already known: Zinedine Zidane will take charge of Les Bleus, although the French Football Federation has not yet announced the exact date of his official presentation.
A contract that will begin on September 1st
September 1st has been set as the start date for the contracts of Zinedine Zidane and the members of his future staff. The former Real Madrid coach will thus have several weeks to prepare for his first training camp and put his organization in place. The precise composition of his coaching staff has not yet been announced. However, contract negotiations have progressed sufficiently for a start date to now be set. This arrival will mark Zidane's return to the forefront of the sport, more than five years after his departure from Real Madrid in May 2021. Since then, the 1998 World Cup winner has not managed any club, despite numerous offers and many rumors surrounding his future.
Four Nations League matches to start
Zinedine Zidane will begin his tenure with a particularly busy schedule. The French national team will play four Nations League matches between the end of September and the beginning of October. Les Bleus will first travel to Turkey on September 25, then to Belgium on September 28. They will then host Italy on October 2 before returning to Belgium on October 5. These four matches will be the new manager's first encounters. Zidane will have just over three weeks between his official appointment and the first trip to Turkey to select his squad, finalize his coaching staff, and prepare for his debut.
The official announcement is still pending.
The French Football Federation must now determine when Zinédine Zidane's arrival will be officially announced. This announcement could come after the third-place match against England, once Didier Deschamps' tenure has definitively ended. The succession plan, however, is already in place. Barring any changes to the schedule, Zinédine Zidane will officially become the manager of the French national team on September 1st, before taking charge of his first match on September 25th in Turkey.
