Iceland and France go head-to-head in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on Monday.
Both sides will be searching for points in this crucial Group D encounter, with France looking to secure their place in the World Cup and Iceland fighting to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Iceland vs France – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: 13th October, Monday.
- Kick-off: 7:45pm BST.
- Venue: Laugardalsvollur, Reykjavik.
Iceland Team News
Iceland will be without suspended striker Andri Gudjohnsen for this crucial qualifier, which represents a significant blow considering his impressive record of 10 goals in 36 international appearances. As a result, Daniel Gudjohnsen is expected to step into the starting eleven to fill the void in the final third.
Head coach Arnar Gunnlaugsson is likely to resist major changes to his formation following their entertaining defeat to Ukraine. Key players Albert Gudmundsson, who scored twice in that match, and Victor Palsson are expected to retain their starting positions.
Isak Johannesson will continue in his central midfield role, bringing his composure and tempo-setting abilities to the team.
France Team News
France will be without their captain, Kylian Mbappe, who has been ruled out due to a right ankle injury sustained during the 3-0 victory over Azerbaijan. The Real Madrid striker, who has been in outstanding form with 14 goals in 10 matches this season, will return to his club for treatment.
Mike Maignan will captain the side in Mbappe’s absence, marking his first time leading France from the start of a match. The AC Milan goalkeeper brings captaincy experience from his club career.
Didier Deschamps’ squad is further depleted by several key absences. Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has withdrawn due to a quad injury, while Bradley Barcola, Marcus Thuram, Desire Doue, and Ousmane Dembele are all unavailable through injury. Aurelien Tchouameni remains suspended following his red card in the previous fixture between these teams.
Jean-Philippe Mateta could be handed his full international debut at centre-forward, replacing the absent Mbappe. Benjamin Pavard has been called up as Konate’s replacement.
Form
Iceland
Iceland’s qualifying campaign has been inconsistent, collecting just three points from three matches. They opened with an impressive 5-0 victory over Azerbaijan at home, which included goals from Victor Palsson, Isak Johannesson (2), and Albert Gudmundsson. However, they suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to France in Paris, despite Andri Gudjohnsen giving them an early lead.
Their most recent outing was a thrilling but disappointing 5-3 home defeat to Ukraine. Iceland conceded twice late in the match.
Coach Gunnlaugsson admitted that inexperience cost them points, stating: “There were fifteen minutes left when we tied it at 3-3. They were scared, and we should have gone for it there.”
France
Les Bleus have maintained perfect form in their World Cup qualifying campaign with three wins from three matches. They currently sit at the top of Group D with nine points, boasting an impressive goal difference of +6.
France began their campaign with a 2-0 away victory over Ukraine, before securing a 2-1 comeback win against Iceland in Paris. Mbappe scored one and assisted another in that victory, helping France avoid a potential shock result.
Their most recent fixture saw them comfortably defeat Azerbaijan 3-0 at the Parc des Princes. Goals from Mbappe, Adrien Rabiot, and Florian Thauvin secured the victory, with France dominating possession (77%) and creating nine shots on target.
Predicted Lineups
Iceland: Olafsson; Palsson, Ingason, Gretarsson, Ellertsson; Gudmundsson, Johannesson, Haraldsson; Magnusson, D Gudjohnsen, Thorsteinsson.
France: Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, T Hernandez; K Thuram, Rabiot; Coman, Olise, Ekitike; Mateta.
How to Watch Iceland vs France?
UK fans can watch the game on Prime Video UK.
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