Didier Deschamps to Miss Final Group Match Due to Family Bereavement
Deschamps Absent for Norway Match
In a recent announcement, the French Football Federation (FFF) confirmed that coach Didier Deschamps will not be available for the team's last group-stage match in the FIFA World Cup 2026 against Norway on June 26. This decision comes as Deschamps returns to France to attend his mother's funeral, who sadly passed away on Tuesday.
The federation indicated that Deschamps will miss both training sessions and the match itself, stating, "Didier Deschamps will not be able to lead training sessions ahead of the Norway-France match. He will also not be present on the bench on Friday for the last match of the Bleus in Group I," as shared in a post on X.
Didier Deschamps ne pourra pas assurer les entraînements avant la rencontre Norvège-France. Il ne pourra pas non plus être présent sur le banc vendredi pour le dernier match des Bleus dans le groupe I (21 heures, h.f.).
Le sélectionneur national a eu la douleur, ce mardi matin,… pic.twitter.com/Mqi67B0tJF
— FFF (@FFF) June 23, 2026
The FFF revealed that Deschamps received the news of his mother's passing on Tuesday morning and will be returning to France for her funeral.
In light of this situation, Deschamps has temporarily assigned his assistant, Guy Stephan, to take charge of the team during his absence, with the agreement of federation president Philippe Diallo, who is currently at the team's base camp in the United States.
"In agreement with Philippe Diallo, the president of the French Football Federation, Didier Deschamps has entrusted responsibility to his assistant, Guy Stephan, to lead the group until his return. In this extremely painful moment, we wish the coach and his family much courage and assure them of the support of everyone at the Federation," the FFF added.
France has already secured their place in the Round of 32 at the ongoing FIFA World Cup, having achieved consecutive victories against Senegal (3-1) and Iraq (3-0), showcasing a strong start to their tournament journey.
Deschamps is a notable figure in football history, being one of only three individuals to have won the FIFA World Cup both as a player and a coach. He lifted the trophy as a player in 1998 while captaining the French team and later won it again in 2018 as the head coach in Russia.