Match Preview for France v Azerbaijan
France will look to continue their perfect start to the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign when they host Azerbaijan in Group D on Friday night.
Les Bleus sit comfortably at the top of the group with six points from their opening two fixtures, while Azerbaijan occupy the bottom spot with just a single point so far, two behind second-placed Iceland.
Although Didier Deschamps’ side weren’t firing on all cylinders in September, they still managed to grind out back-to-back victories, defeating Ukraine 2-0 before coming from behind to edge past Iceland 2-1.
Kylian Mbappe and Bradley Barcola were the scorers that day after Andri Gudjohnsen had given Iceland an early lead.
The French have faced Azerbaijan just twice before, during qualifying for Euro 1996, winning both encounters comfortably, 2-0 and 10-0 respectively.
As for Azerbaijan, their qualifying campaign began in difficult fashion with a 5-0 defeat to Iceland. However, they showed improvement soon after, holding Ukraine to a 1-1 draw four days later. That result gave them their first point of the campaign, though they remain rooted to the foot of Group D.
Head coach Aykhan Abbasov, currently also managing Samaxi FK, remains in temporary charge following Fernando Santos’ departure earlier in the year. Santos’ time in charge yielded just two wins in 11 games, and Azerbaijan’s last competitive victory came nearly two years ago, in November 2023.
They’ll need a major upset to take anything from the Stade de France, though their spirited performance against Ukraine could give them belief heading into this tough away test.
Team News for France v Azerbaijan
France will have to make do without Aurelien Tchouameni, who is serving a suspension after receiving a red card in the 2-1 win over Iceland. Injuries have also ruled out Bradley Barcola, Marcus Thuram, and Ousmane Dembele, forcing Deschamps into several changes.
Adrien Rabiot is expected to come into midfield, while Kingsley Coman could be handed a start out wide. Michael Olise may also feature in a more advanced role alongside Kylian Mbappe and Hugo Ekitike.
For Azerbaijan, there are unlikely to be any major surprises in selection. Their attacking hopes rest largely on Renat Dadashov and Mahir Emreli, who have scored ten international goals between them.
The squad’s leading scorer, Emin Mahmudov (14 goals), is in line to earn his 55th cap, and Anatolii Nuriiev should also start.
Expected Line-ups for France v Azerbaijan
France: Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernandez; Rabiot, Kone; Coman, Olise, Ekitike; Mbappe
Azerbaijan: Mahammadaliyev; Dashdamirov, Badalov, Mustafazada, Krivotsyuk, Aliyev; Khaybulaev, Mahmudov, Nuriiev; Emreli, Dadashov
How to Watch France v Azerbaijan: TV Channel, Online Stream
The match will take place at the Stade de France on Friday, October 10, with kick-off scheduled for 7:45pm BST.
Fans in the UK can watch the game live on Viaplay Sports (subscription required), while live streaming will also be available via the Viaplay app or website. Coverage is expected to begin roughly half an hour before kick-off.
The Stats for France v Azerbaijan
- France have made a perfect start to qualification with two wins from two
- Their recent run across all competitions reads LWLWWW
- Azerbaijan have picked up just one point from their opening two qualifiers
- Their recent form stands at LLDLLD
- The two sides have met only twice before, both during Euro 1996 qualifying, with France winning 2-0 and 10-0.
Prediction
France will be missing several key players, and Azerbaijan may look to frustrate them with a defensive approach. However, the gulf in quality between the two sides is vast, and Les Bleus should have enough attacking talent to claim another three points without too much trouble.
Prediction: France 2-0 Azerbaijan
