After taking on Senegal, the France squad moves on to the group stage of the 2026 World Cup. For their second match in Group I, Didier Deschamps’s men will face Iraq on Monday, June 22 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. A brand-new showdown, where the Blues will have to assert their authority against an opponent they have never faced before in their history.
That's the hallmark of this 48-team World Cup: pitting nations off the beaten path against each other. The French side and Iraq have never faced each other in the history of football, whether in friendlies or in official competition. So a completely blank page will be written on the Philadelphia pitch. While Iraq is only contesting its second World Cup in history (following a single appearance in 1986), the Mesopotamian Lions are determined to leave a lasting impression in this first-ever showdown against the two-time world champions.
For the second date of the American tournament, the stakes are crystal clear for Mbappé's crew: secure the three points to lock in qualification before the final showdown with Norway. Iraq, qualified from the Asian zone, relies on a combative collective. For France, the aim is to score early to allow for squad rotation in a calendar of fixtures that looks set to be extremely busy.
Watch out for the time difference for this second meeting, which will require French supporters to stay up late, on Monday, June 22, 2026 at 11:00 p.m. The match will be broadcast live and free-to-air on M6, the official broadcaster of the Blues. For subscribers, the game will also be shown on beIN Sports 1.
