France’s long-expected managerial transition is now effectively in place, with ESPN reporting that the nation has decided on who will replace current head coach Didier Deschamps after the 2026 World Cup.
Deschamps confirmed in Jan. 2025 that he would step down after the upcoming tournament, bringing an end to a run that included a World Cup title in 2018 and consistent deep finishes in major tournaments, including reaching the final of the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
On Monday, ESPN confirmed that long-rumored top candidate Zinedine Zidane is set to take over the national team after the 2026 World Cup.
According to ESPN, Zidane has already reached a verbal agreement with the Fédération Française de Football to succeed Didier Deschamps once the tournament concludes.
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"Zinedine Zidane will succeed Didier Deschamps as France national team head coach in the summer, with a verbal agreement already reached between the former Real Madrid star and the Fédération Française de Football (FFF), sources have told ESPN," Julien Laurens reported.
The report indicates that only minor details remain before the agreement becomes official, with discussions still ongoing regarding Zidane’s coaching staff.
Zidane, 53, has not managed since leaving Real Madrid in 2021 following his second stint with the club.
During his time in the Spanish capital, Zidane led Real Madrid to three Champions League titles and multiple domestic trophies, establishing himself as one of the most successful managers of his generation.
Despite being linked to several club jobs in recent years and making it clear he'd be back at some point, Zidane has consistently rejected those offers while waiting for the France job to open.
Fabrizio Romano reported in late February that Zidane's desire was to wait specifically for the national team role rather than return to club management.
“I think 2026 is the year of Zidane’s comeback to coaching,” Fabrizio Romano said. “He was waiting for the right opportunity, and that opportunity in his mind is to become the new coach of the French national team.”
France will face Senegal, Norway, and a third still-undetermined nation in Group I of the 2026 World Cup, Deschamp's last tournament on the French touchline.
