Paris lived a full-on party. France left no room for doubt and sealed their qualification for the 2026 World Cup with a dominant 4–0 win over Ukraine at the Parc des Princes, punching their ticket to the tournament that will take place in United States, Mexico and Canada.

The night belonged to Les Bleus from the opening whistle, but the real show arrived in the second half. Kylian Mbappé, the undisputed leader of the French national team, took over the match with a brace that brought the stadium to its feet.
His first goal came from the penalty spot — a confident panenka in the 55th minute. His second, in the 83rd minute, was a clinical finish from the captain.

Amid the onslaught, Michael Olise ignited the stadium again with a left-foot strike in the 76th minute, while substitute Hugo Ekitiké sealed the rout with a low shot in the 88th minute. From start to finish, France controlled every phase of the game.

A Flawless Qualification Run

Didier Deschamps’ side dominated Group D, which included Ukraine, Iceland and Azerbaijan, delivering a solid, direct and deep squad performance that once again places France among the top candidates heading into 2026.

With this qualification, France will play in their 17th World Cup, extending an impressive streak of eight consecutive appearances since 1998, the year they lifted their first world title. Since then, they’ve reached multiple finals, won a second star, and established themselves as one of the most consistent powers in international football.

Eyes on 2026

With England already qualified, Franc

e now becomes one of the first European nations to secure their place. The cycle continues with Mbappé as the emblem of a generation that wants another massive run after the 2018 and 2022 finals.

Paris celebrated, the ticket is secured… and 2026 is getting closer for a French team that keeps dreaming big.