France - Italy

France enter this matchday 3 fixture in the UEFA Nations League A Group 1 carrying significant momentum after securing consecutive 1-0 victories against Turkiye on 25 September 2026 and Belgium on 28 September 2026. Conversely, Italy arrive at Stade de France following a mixed recent run, having recovered from a 2-0 defeat against Belgium on 25 September 2026 with a dominant 4-1 win over Turkiye three days later. Both sides must navigate significant personnel challenges, with France missing William Saliba, Theo Hernandez, and Kylian Mbappe, while Italy are without the services of Federico Dimarco, Giacomo Raspadori, and Manuel Locatelli.

This encounter marks the latest chapter in a long-standing rivalry, most recently highlighted by a pair of 3-1 results in the 2024 UEFA Nations League group stage where the away side triumphed on both occasions. With Mike Maignan expected to anchor the French defence and Gianluigi Donnarumma leading the Italian backline, the tactical battle will be intense. As both teams look to assert their dominance in the group, the question remains whether France can maintain their defensive solidity or if Italy’s attacking resurgence will overwhelm the hosts in Paris.