Zinedine Zidane is set to be confirmed as the next head coach of France after the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup 2026, with the French Football Federation (FFF) preparing to finalise official documents with the legendary former midfielder.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano reports that Zidane has turned down all other coaching approaches over the past eight months, keeping his focus firmly on leading Les Bleus once the necessary formalities are completed.

The FFF is understood to be working toward a contract that would run through to the 2030 World Cup, giving Zidane a long-term mandate to reshape the national team.

Deschamps exits after a defining era

The news comes in the wake of France's elimination from the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals, where Les Bleus fell 2-0 to European champions Spain — a result that brought Didier Deschamps's remarkable tenure to a close.

Deschamps is expected to step down following the tournament, ending a head-coaching reign that transformed French football. He guided the team to the final of the 2016 European Championship, where they were defeated 1-0 by Portugal, before delivering the nation's second World Cup title in 2018 — their first since he captained the side to glory on home soil in 1998.

Deschamps also came agonisingly close to back-to-back World Cup triumphs at the 2022 edition in Qatar, where France were beaten by Lionel Messi's Argentina on penalties after the match ended 3-3 following 90 minutes and extra time.

A first for Zidane with Les Bleus

Should the agreement be signed, it will mark the first time Zidane has managed the French national team. The Marseille-born icon built his reputation as a head coach at Real Madrid, where he won three successive UEFA Champions League titles.

Zidane's appointment would represent one of the most anticipated managerial handovers in world football, uniting arguably France's greatest-ever player with the team he once inspired to World Cup glory as a player in 1998.