Mbappe headlines France’s 2026 World Cup roster without 14 members from Qatar 2022 squad

Didier Deschamps has released France’s official roster for the 2026 World Cup, headlined by Kylian Mbappe and featuring notable absences from the squad that reached the final in Qatar.

By Gianni Taina

Updated on May 14, 2026 03:57PM EDT

**© Getty Images**Kylian Mbappe of France.

Kylian Mbappe headlines the 26-man roster announced by Didier Deschamps to represent France at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. In a striking move, 14 players who participated in the Qatar 2022 edition will not be part of the tournament in North America.

The list represents a significant overhaul compared to the previous World Cup. Several stalwarts have retired from international duty, including Antoine Griezmann, Hugo Lloris, and Olivier Giroud, while Steve Mandanda and Raphael Varane have retired from professional soccer altogether.

The remaining nine players from the previous squad were left out due to tactical decisions by Deschamps. The manager opted to omit Alphonse Areola, Axel Disasi, Benjamin Pavard, Jordan Veretout, Matteo Guendouzi, Youssouf Fofana, Eduardo Camavinga, Kingsley Coman, and Randal Kolo Muani.

Without a doubt, the Real Madrid midfielder’s absence is one of the most notable. Deschamps explained that the decision to snub Camavinga was because he “is coming off a difficult season where he lacked consistency due to a string of injuries”.

France’s final roster

While many nations are currently submitting preliminary 55-man lists, Deschamps decided to move directly to the final 26-player squad that will travel to North America.

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Led by Mbappe, here is the official France roster for the 2026 World Cup:

Goalkeepers

Mike Maignan | AC Milan
Brice Samba | RC Lens
Robin Risser | Strasbourg

Defenders

Jules Kounde | FC Barcelona
Malo Gusto | Chelsea
Maxence Lacroix | Crystal Palace
William Saliba | Arsenal
Dayot Upamecano | Bayern Munich
Ibrahima Konate | Liverpool
Lucas Hernandez | PSG
Theo Hernandez | Al-Hilal
Lucas Digne | Aston Villa

Midfielders

Aurelien Tchouameni | Real Madrid
N’Golo Kante | Fenerbahçe
Adrien Rabiot | AC Milan
Manu Kone | AS Roma
Warren Zaïre-Emery | PSG

Forwards

Rayan Cherki | Manchester City
Desire Doue | PSG
Bradley Barcola | PSG
Maghnes Akliouche | AS Monaco
Ousmane Dembele | PSG
Michael Olise | Bayern Munich
Kylian Mbappe | PSG
Marcus Thuram | Inter Milan
Jean-Philippe Mateta | Crystal Palace

Gianni Taina

Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, with a specialization in soccer, NBA, and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he first established himself as a writer. Throughout his career, Gianni has covered major sports events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tournaments like the French Open. His ability to report on real-time events and perform well under pressure has made him a valuable member of a top-tier team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, bringing his expertise in soccer, NBA, and tennis to deliver original content while providing live coverage of important events.