Who Could France Face in the World Cup Knockout Round? Possible Matchups Explored

This Friday evening, France and their stars from PSG, including Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola, will face Norway in one of the most anticipated matches of the group stage at the FIFA World Cup. Both teams remain in contention to claim the top spot in their group.

Dembele recently scored his first goal for Didier Deschamps’ side at a major tournament after 19 attempts, while Barcola found the net as a substitute against Senegal. Other PSG players like Lucas Hernandez and Warren Zaire-Emery have yet to make their tournament debuts.

What Happens If France Tops Their Group?

If Les Bleus manage a draw or win against Norway, they will secure first place in their group due to a slightly better goal difference. That outcome means facing a third-place team from groups C, D, F, G, or H in the knockout round. Among these, the third-placed team from Group C (Scotland) seems unlikely to advance, while the most probable opponent could be the Group F third-place team, currently Sweden.

Potential Consequences of Finishing Second

Should France lose to Erling Haaland’s Norway and finish second, the path becomes clearer: they would meet Ivory Coast next Tuesday at 19:00 CET in Arlington.

This matchup carries extra intrigue since Ivory Coast, the 2023 AFCON champions, defeated France in a friendly earlier this month. Moreover, Ivory Coast's squad includes Guela Doue, brother of Desire Doue, possibly setting up a sibling showdown.

Ivory Coast represents a strong challenge. This World Cup marks their first time reaching the knockout stage, an achievement the generations of Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba could not reach. Still, every knockout match tests the best, no matter the opponent.

Ultimately, finishing first in the group offers a more favorable route, which can never be dismissed as unimportant. Winning the group should ease the path forward, even if all knockout games promise tough competition.