Live Blog: France vs. Italy | UEFA Nations League
France returns to the Stade de France with a perfect record in the UEFA Nations League and hosts an Italy side that regained confidence after thrashing Turkey. Zidane will look to maintain the perfect start to his tenure with Les Bleus against an Azzurri team that needs points.
When France and Italy meet, two of European football's most historic national teams collide. Both are World Cup champions and have produced unforgettable matches throughout the years, with another chapter set to be written today at the Stade de France.
One of their most memorable meetings came in the Euro 2000 final, when France equalized in the dying seconds through Sylvain Wiltord before David Trezeguet scored the golden goal to crown Les Bleus European champions.
Six years later, Italy got its revenge. The Azzurri defeated France on penalties in the 2006 FIFA World Cup final, a match that also marked Zinedine Zidane's final appearance as a professional player.
Twenty years after that unforgettable night in Berlin, Zidane faces the Azzurri again — this time from the France bench.
France Returns Home Under Zidane
The Stade de France will host one of the biggest matches of this UEFA Nations League matchday as France and Italy meet in Saint-Denis with both teams looking to strengthen their position in Group A1.
The start of Zinedine Zidane's tenure as France head coach could hardly have gone better in terms of results. Les Bleus opened their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Turkey before repeating the same scoreline against Belgium, with Michael Olise scoring the decisive goal in the closing stages.
Now comes France's first home match of this UEFA Nations League campaign at the Stade de France, where Zidane will look to extend his team's perfect start while maintaining a defensive record that has yet to see Les Bleus concede a goal in the competition.
The French squad includes players such as Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki, Eduardo Camavinga, Jules Koundé and Mike Maignan.
Alineación Francia
Italy Looks to Confirm Its Response
Italy's start to the competition was completely different. The Azzurri opened the tournament with a 2-0 defeat against Belgium in Rome, a result that immediately increased the pressure on Roberto Mancini's team.
The response, however, was emphatic.
Italy traveled to face Turkey in its second match and earned a convincing 4-1 victory that completely changed the mood around the national team. The Italians now face a much tougher test against the group leader.
Among the players available to Mancini are Gianluigi Donnarumma, Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Sandro Tonali, Nicolò Barella and Davide Frattesi.
The matchup also carries significant history. The two national teams have met on numerous occasions, with Italy recording 20 victories, France 12 and nine matches ending in draws.
Alineación Italia
France and Italy Battle for Important Group A1 Points
A victory would allow France to maintain its perfect record and strengthen its position at the top of Group A1. For Italy, earning points in Saint-Denis would be important after regaining ground with its victory over Turkey.
This will also be the first of two meetings between the teams during this phase of the competition. Italy will host France on November 12 at the Giuseppe Meazza in Milan.
Match Information
Match: France vs. Italy
Competition: UEFA Nations League – League A, Group A1
Date: Friday, October 2, 2026
Time: 2:45 p.m. ET / 11:45 a.m. PT
Stadium: Stade de France, Saint-Denis
France Looks to Maintain Its Perfect Start
- France won its first two UEFA Nations League matches and has yet to concede a goal.
- Italy responded to its defeat against Belgium with a 4-1 victory over Turkey.
- Zinedine Zidane and Roberto Mancini face off in one of the most attractive matches of the third round.
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