France host Italy at the Stade de France on October 2 in one of the biggest fixtures of Matchday 3 in the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League. Both countries enter this campaign under new leadership.
Zinédine Zidane has succeeded Didier Deschamps as France coach, while Roberto Mancini has returned for a second spell with Italy. France and Italy are joined by Belgium and Türkiye in Group A1.
France face Türkiye and Belgium before this match, while Italy begin against Belgium and Türkiye, meaning the group situation could already be important by the time they meet in Saint-Denis.
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France vs Italy Match Details
Competition: 2026/27 UEFA Nations League
League: League A
Group: A1
Stage: Matchday 3
Date: October 2, 2026
Kick-off: 20:45 local time
Venue: Stade de France, Saint-Denis
France coach: Zinédine Zidane
Italy coach: Roberto Mancini
The top two teams in the group qualify for the Nations League quarter-finals.
France vs Italy Head-to-Head Record
Italy hold the historical advantage. The countries have met 41 times. Italy have won 19, France have won 12, and 10 matches have ended in draws. Their last six meetings were:
Italy 1-3 France – November 2024
France 1-3 Italy – September 2024
France 3-1 Italy – June 2018
Italy 1-3 France – September 2016
Italy 1-2 France – November 2012
France 0-2 Italy – June 2008
France have therefore won four of the last six meetings, but the most relevant games came in the previous Nations League campaign. Italy produced an impressive 3-1 victory in Paris in September 2024.
France responded with the same scoreline in Milan two months later, taking first place in the group on goal difference after both teams finished with 13 points. That recent exchange suggests there is little value in assuming either side has a clear advantage based on history alone.
France Recent Form
France enter this Nations League campaign after finishing fourth at the 2026 World Cup. Their last five matches were:
France 4-6 England
France 0-2 Spain
France 2-0 Morocco
France 1-0 Paraguay
France 3-0 Sweden
France reached the semi-finals without conceding in their first three knockout matches, but Spain ended that run with a 2-0 victory. England then won a remarkable 6-4 third-place match.
The tournament ultimately ended Didier Deschamps' long tenure. Zidane now inherits a team with considerable individual quality but also the challenge of establishing his own identity quickly during an international window.
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Italy Recent Form
Italy enter another rebuilding phase after missing the World Cup for a third consecutive tournament. Their last five completed matches before this Nations League window were:
Greece 0-1 Italy
Luxembourg 0-1 Italy
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 Italy – Bosnia won on penalties
Italy 2-0 Northern Ireland
Italy 1-4 Norway
Italy's World Cup hopes ended in Bosnia after Alessandro Bastoni was sent off and the hosts eventually won the play-off final on penalties.
The two June victories over Luxembourg and Greece came with a highly experimental young squad under interim coach Silvio Baldini. Pio Esposito scored the only goal in both games.
Mancini's return therefore begins with a mixture of experienced players and a younger generation pushing for larger roles.
France Team News
Zidane has named 23 players for his first France squad. Kylian Mbappé remains captain, while Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola, Michael Olise, Désiré Doué and Estéban Lepaul provide the attacking options.
The midfield includes Eduardo Camavinga, Adrien Rabiot, Manu Koné, Warren Zaïre-Emery and Rayan Cherki. Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé, Pierre Kalulu and Jérémy Jacquet are among the defenders.
Jacquet, Andy Diouf, Lucas Da Cunha and Lepaul are among the new faces in Zidane's first group. Aurélien Tchouaméni and Marcus Thuram are unavailable because of fitness concerns, while goalkeeper Robin Risser withdrew and was replaced by Jean Butez.
Mbappé also missed a France training session on September 22 with flu-like symptoms. There had been no confirmed withdrawal when this preview was prepared, so his condition will be worth monitoring during the opening matches of the window.
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Italy Team News
Mancini has selected a large 34-player squad for four Nations League matches in 11 days. Gianluigi Donnarumma, Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Federico Dimarco, Nicolò Barella and Sandro Tonali provide an experienced core.
The forward options include Moise Kean, Pio Esposito, Gianluca Scamacca, Giacomo Raspadori, Nicolò Zaniolo and Sebastiano Esposito. Nine players received their first call-ups in Mancini's original squad, showing that the returning coach is also using this window to assess a new generation.
Bryan Cristante has since withdrawn because of a physical problem and has been replaced by Samuele Ricci. Italy's squad is much larger than France's, which could matter during a demanding schedule where both teams play four matches in a short period.
Key Players
Kylian Mbappé
Mbappé remains France's biggest attacking threat. He scored 10 times at the 2026 World Cup and has the pace to punish any defensive line that leaves space behind it.
Italy cannot focus only on stopping him once he receives the ball. They also need to prevent France's midfielders from finding him early in transition.
Michael Olise
Olise provides creativity from wide and central areas. His passing, movement onto his stronger left foot and ability to combine around the penalty area could be particularly useful if Italy defend compactly.
Sandro Tonali
Tonali has become central to Italy's midfield. He provides energy, ball progression and defensive intensity. Against France's athletic midfield, Italy will need him to compete physically without losing control in possession.
Pio Esposito
Esposito continues to push for a larger role after scoring in both of Italy's June friendlies. His physical presence gives Mancini a central reference, while his movement inside the penalty area can provide Italy with a more direct attacking option.
Tactical Battle
This match presents an interesting contrast because both coaches are beginning new cycles. Zidane inherits a France squad built around pace, athleticism and individual quality. Mbappé, Dembélé, Barcola, Doué and Olise can all threaten space, while Camavinga and Koné give France powerful ball carriers through midfield.
Italy may prefer greater control through possession. Barella and Tonali can move the ball quickly through midfield, while Dimarco provides width and creativity from the left. The main danger for Italy will be losing possession with too many players ahead of the ball.
France have enough speed to turn a midfield turnover into a clear scoring opportunity within seconds. France face a different problem. If their pressing becomes too aggressive, Italy have midfielders capable of playing through pressure and finding space behind the first line.
Where the Match Could Be Decided
Italy controlling France's transitions
This is the biggest tactical issue for me. France do not need long spells of possession to create chances. Mbappé, Barcola, Olise and Dembélé can attack immediately after a turnover. Italy need good positioning behind the ball whenever their midfielders and wing-backs move forward.
France against Barella and Tonali
Italy's midfield can become much more influential if Barella and Tonali receive possession facing forward. France need to prevent them from controlling tempo and connecting comfortably with Italy's attackers.
The wide areas
Both teams can create problems from the flanks. France have explosive one-on-one attackers, while Italy can use Dimarco's delivery and overlapping movement. Whichever defence receives better support from midfield could gain an important advantage.
Managing the schedule
This will be the third match for both teams in eight days. France play away to Türkiye and Belgium before returning home. Italy face Belgium in Rome and then travel to Türkiye before heading to Paris. Squad rotation and physical recovery could therefore influence selection as much as tactical preference.
What the H2H Record Tells Me
Italy's 19 wins give them the stronger historical record, but France have been much more successful in the modern period. France have won four of the last six meetings. The two 2024 Nations League matches are the most useful reference because each team won 3-1 away from home.
That tells me this fixture can change quickly when one side loses control of midfield or defensive transitions. The current context also makes older meetings less relevant. France have changed coach after finishing fourth at the World Cup. Italy missed the tournament entirely and have brought Mancini back to begin another rebuild.
Final View
For me, France vs Italy is one of the most interesting matches in this Nations League window because both countries are trying to establish a new direction. France have greater continuity in the playing squad despite changing coach.
Mbappé, Dembélé, Olise, Camavinga, Konaté and others already understand each other's qualities, while Zidane's main task is shaping them into his own team. Italy's transition is broader.
Mancini has returned with a 34-player squad containing nine initial first-time call-ups, which suggests this international period is partly about results and partly about identifying the core of Italy's next cycle.
I see defensive transitions and midfield control as the most important areas. Italy need to avoid giving France open space after losing possession. France, meanwhile, cannot allow Barella and Tonali to dictate the match without pressure.
The previous Nations League campaign produced a 3-1 away victory for each country. This meeting comes with different coaches, different squads and a different context, but it should again provide a strong test of how these two major European teams compare.