Ukraine will “host” France at Stadion Miejski in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers on Friday, looking to kick-start the campaign with a bang.

Ukraine will look to start their campaign in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers on a positive note vs France, and it remains to be seen whether they can grind out an important result in their “home clash”.

The Blue and Yellow have a poor head-to-head record against France, but this is a golden opportunity for them to set things right. It will be interesting to see if the players can step up and produce a strong performance here.

Meanwhile, France will be the favourites on paper, and they have a far better team. It will be interesting to see if Didier Deschamps’s men can get the job done and grind out a victory away from home. Les Bleus are unbeaten in five of the last six matches against Ukraine, but the last two meetings between the two sides ended in a 1-1 draw.

It will be interesting to see if the two teams cancel each other out once again. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.

Team News & Tactics

Ukraine

Andriy Lunin is ruled out with an injury, and he will be joined on the sidelines by defenders Oleksandr Tymchyk and Vitaliy Mykolenko. Yevhen Cheberko, Oleksandr Pikhalyonok, and Volodymyr Brazhko are also unavailable for the home side.

Ukraine are likely to shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs France. Anatoliy Trubin will start in goal for the hosts. In the back four, Yukhym Konoplya and Bohdan Mykhaylichenko will start as the full-backs. They will look to keep things tight defensively and help out during transitions. Illia Zabarnyi will start at the heart of the defence alongside captain Mykola Matviyenko.

As for the midfield unit, Ivan Kalyuzhnyi will start alongside Oleksandr Zinchenko in the double pivot. They will look to protect the defensive unit and break up opposition attacking moves.

Viktor Tsygankov and Georgiy Sudakov will start on the flanks. They will look to create opportunities for their teammates with their technical ability and vision. Mykola Shaparenko will reprise the no. 10 role, and he will look to link the midfield with the attack. Finally, Artem Dovbyk will lead the line for Ukraine vs France on Friday.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Trubin, Konoplya, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Mykhaylichenko, Kalyuzhnyi, Zinchenko, Tsygankov, Shaparenko, Sudakov, Dovbyk.

France

Didier Deschamps will be without William Saliba, who picked up a muscle injury during the game against Liverpool. Manchester City playmaker Rayan Cherki is sidelined as well.

France will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Ukraine, with Mike Maignan in goal. Jules Kounde and Theo Hernandez will start in the full-back positions, and they will look to contribute at both ends of the pitch. Dayot Upamecano will start in central defence alongside Ibrahima Konate.

As for the midfield unit, Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot will add defensive cover and control from deep. Michael Olise and Marcus Thuram will start on the flanks, and they will look to add pace and flair to the side.

Ousmane Dembele will start as the attacking midfielder, and he will look to create opportunities for his teammates and find the back of the net. Finally, Kylian Mbappe will lead the line for France vs Ukraine on Friday.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Maignan, Kounde, Upamecano, Konate, Hernandez, Tchouameni, Rabiot, Olise, Dembele, Thuram, Mbappe

Key Stats

• France are unbeaten in five of the last six matches against Ukraine.
• 19 goals have been scored in the last six matches between these two teams.
• The last two meetings between these two teams have ended in a 1-1 draw.
• Both teams have scored in the last three meetings between these two sides.

Player to Watch

Ousmane Dembele

Embed from Getty Images

The PSG superstar has been in exceptional form over the last 12 months, and he is our key player to watch out for. He will look to cause all sorts of problems for the Ukrainian defence with his movement, flair, and passing. He will look to open up opportunities for his teammates and try to get on the scoresheet as well.

Dembele has been a tricky customer to deal with for defences across Europe over the last few months. Although Ukraine have quality players at their disposal, they will struggle to contain him. The PSG star could make a defining impact for his team in the final third.

Prediction

Ukraine 1-3 France

France are undoubtedly the better team, and they will be the favourites to win here. The visitors enough quality and depth in the attacking unit to find a way past Ukraine. Both teams are likely to take an attacking approach, and they will get on the scoresheet here.

However, France should be able to pick up a comfortable victory. The gulf in class between the two teams is quite significant, and the away side will emerge victorious. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Didier Deschamps and his charges.