Zinedine Zidane to be Unveiled as France Coach After Deschamps Era
The wait is almost over. The French Football Federation has circled the date when Les Bleus will officially turn the page on the Didier Deschamps era and, barring a late twist, usher in the reign of Zinedine Zidane.
In a statement released on Thursday, the federation confirmed it will hold a press conference on Tuesday 28 July 2026 at its headquarters, starting at 11:00am, with president Philippe Diallo presiding. The event will follow an extraordinary meeting of the executive committee earlier that day, during which the new head coach will be formally presented to the media.
The timing is no surprise. Local newspapers had already revealed the date on Wednesday evening, and the federation has now effectively rubber‑stamped the transition.
Deschamps Bows Out, Quietly
There will be no grand farewell for Deschamps. No lap of honour, no staged ceremony. After 14 years in charge of the national team’s technical staff, the man who guided France to the 2018 World Cup title and the Euro 2016 and 2022 World Cup finals steps aside without fanfare.
The low‑key exit only sharpens the spotlight on his successor. All attention now swings to Zidane, the figure French football has been waiting on for years.
Zidane’s Long-Awaited Return
Zidane has not stood in a technical area since leaving Real Madrid in June 2021. He walked away from the Bernabéu a serial winner and, since then, has turned down a string of offers. Club projects came and went. His answer stayed the same.
He was waiting for France.
Linked relentlessly with the national job ever since his second departure from Madrid, Zidane has long been seen as the natural heir to Deschamps, his former teammate in the 1998 World Cup‑winning side. Reliable reports now place him as the leading — and effectively only — candidate, with an agreement already in place with the federation.
Only the final touches remain. Discussions around the composition of his backroom staff are ongoing, but the framework of his mission is clear.
Even French politics has had to bend. Recent parliamentary reforms on salary caps will not apply to Zidane; he has secured a special exemption from the relevant government authorities, underlining the scale of his appointment and the weight of expectation around it.
A Brutal First Test for Zizou
If Zidane wanted a gentle reintroduction to the dugout, the calendar has not obliged.
His first international window, spanning September to October, reads like a gauntlet. It starts with a trip to Turkey on 25 September, a notoriously hostile environment and a stern examination of any new regime’s organisation and temperament.
Three days later, on 28 September, France head to Belgium. A modern rival, a team stacked with talent, and a familiar benchmark for any side with serious ambitions in Europe.
Then comes the emotional one.
On 2 October, Zidane will walk out at the Stade de France for his first home match as national coach, against Italy. The fixture carries obvious competitive weight in the UEFA Nations League, but it also hums with symbolism. Zidane spent five years as a player at Juventus; Italian football shaped his career, hardened his competitive edge, and provided some of his defining club moments.
That thread could tighten even further. Deschamps has been strongly linked in recent reports with the Italian national team job after his France exit. If that move materialises, future meetings between France and Italy will carry an extra charge: Zidane in one dugout, Deschamps in the other.
No Let-Up in the Nations League
The schedule does not ease after that first Italian encounter. France continue their UEFA Nations League campaign with another clash against Belgium on 5 October, this time on home soil, a quickfire rematch that will reveal how quickly Zidane can adjust and refine his ideas between high‑level tests.
In November, the intensity remains. France travel to Italy on 12 November, a reverse of the October meeting and another emotionally loaded night for Zidane, before closing out the group stage by hosting Turkey on 15 November.
Every match in that run carries a story, a subplot, a measure of where this new France might be heading.
France’s UEFA Nations League fixtures under Zidane:
- Turkey v France – 25 September
- Belgium v France – 28 September
- France v Italy – 2 October
- France v Belgium – 5 October
- Italy v France – 12 November
- France v Turkey – 15 November
A legend returns after five years in the shadows, stepping into the most scrutinised job in French sport. The Deschamps chapter closes without ceremony. The Zidane chapter opens with Turkey, Belgium and Italy lined up in quick succession.
For a coach who never shied away from the biggest stages as a player, it is exactly the kind of trial that will define what this new France becomes.
