France secured their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup by defeating Ukraine 4-0 at the Parc des Princes on Thursday, with captain Kylian Mbappé scoring a brace, according to a report from Al Jazeera.
The two-time world champions delivered a decisive performance in their European qualifier, ensuring they clinched the top spot in Group D.
The match began with a minute’s silence impeccably observed by the 41,000 spectators to mark the 10th anniversary of the 2015 Paris attacks.
Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring 10 minutes into the second half with a coolly chipped penalty after Michael Olise was fouled.
Olise, who had been shifted into a more central role and was impressive throughout, doubled France’s lead in the 76th minute.
Mbappé struck again in the 83rd minute, taking his national tally to 55 goals, and Hugo Ekitike swept in his first senior international goal to round off the 4-0 victory.
The result gives France an unassailable six-point lead over both Iceland and Ukraine with one game still to play. Coach Didier Deschamps, whose approaching World Cup will be his final tournament before stepping down, reflected on the win, stating:
“Always appreciate the good moments, even if it seems logical and natural for the France team to qualify. The objective was to qualify here tonight in a heavy, weighty context.”
France maintains its record of having made it to every edition of the World Cup since missing out in 1994, ensuring they will be present for the finals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.