Ivory Coast defeated France 2-1 in a World Cup warm-up match played in Nantes on June 4, 2026, marking their first-ever victory against the European side [1, 2, 3]. France took an early lead in the first half with a goal from Rayan Cherki, who put the hosts ahead before halftime [1, 4, 2].
Shortly after the interval, Guela Doue equalized for Ivory Coast, bringing the score level [1, 2, 3]. The match-winning goal came later in the second half from Ivory Coast, assisted by Amad Diallo, who set up the decisive strike that sealed the comeback [1, 2, 3].
France fielded an experimental lineup, resting several Paris Saint-Germain players and making a series of substitutions after halftime, which affected their performance [4, 5, 6]. This loss ended France’s nine-match unbeaten run, their first warm-up defeat before a major tournament since 2010 when they lost to China [1, 3, 7].
France’s coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged the defeat but emphasized the team’s preparation phase: "A defeat is never pleasant, even if we did some good things in the first half. In the second half we made a lot of changes but that's no excuse. We were not as good after the break and they brought a lot of pace. We will face the same type of team on June 16. It's a reminder, if we needed one, not to think we're better than we are" [4].
Midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni said, "It's a pity to lose but we're in a preparation phase, we stay confident. There is no conclusion to draw from this game, even if we had won it. We will be ready" [4]. Defender Lucas Hernandez added, "We always want to win but we're in a phase of preparation and there were a lot of substitutions. We're in good spirits" [4]. Cherki also stated, "It's a little warning, and I can tell you we're not going to the World Cup thinking we're favourites but we're going to crush everyone" [4].
France’s next warm-up match is scheduled for June 8, 2026, in Lille against Northern Ireland [1, 2, 3]. They will open their 2026 World Cup group stage campaign on June 16 against Senegal in New York [4, 5, 6].
