The Italian team’s morale is riding high as they’ve touched down in Paris on Thursday, October 1st, 2026, preparing for tomorrow evening’s showdown at the Stade de France. This UEFA Nations League Matchday 3 encounter between France and Italy represents a significant challenge for the Azzurri. It marks Italy’s second consecutive away match, following their impressive 4-1 victory over Turkey in Bursa on Monday.

Italy faces a challenging matchup as they prepare to take on France. It’s going to be a tough battle for the Italians to come away with a victory against such a formidable opponent.

While the statistics favor France, Italy’s Head Coach Roberto Mancini remains determined to secure a win. The Azzurri have managed just two victories in their last 15 clashes with France. Though it’ll be a tough evening ahead, Italy can draw encouragement from their previous trip to Paris. Two years back, shortly after the European Championship in Germany, Italy claimed a 3-1 victory at the Stade de France, delivering one of only two home defeats France has experienced in their last 12 competitive outings. Can the Azzurri pull off a similar feat and claim victory once more?

During a press conference at the Stade de France, Roberto Mancini shared his thoughts: “Italy versus France is never just an ordinary match. It’s bound to be an excellent game. Our goal is to perform well and make a strong impression.” A win is essential for the Azzurri since France currently leads their Nations League group with a perfect 6 points, having secured narrow away victories against Türkiye and Belgium.

France will be missing their standout player, Kylian Mbappé. However, Les Bleus still have access to some of the world’s most talented athletes, including Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, and Barcola. There’s considerable buzz surrounding Zinedine Zidane’s revamped France squad, particularly as the manager prepares for his inaugural home match in his new role.

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Mancini further commented, “France represents one of the world’s elite teams, and they’re packed with phenomenal talent. This will undoubtedly be a challenging encounter. They’re considerably ahead of where we are right now, but this match will give us valuable insight into our capabilities and what we might accomplish in the months ahead.”

 

 

That’s fantastic – the Italian squad has made it to France! Their mission is straightforward: victory is the only acceptable outcome. Let’s go, Azzurri! We need to win this third matchday to reach 6 points and match France’s tally.#FRAITA #Azzurri #VivoAzzurro https://t.co/8nj0JnpEBw

— Anna Italia (@ItalianSerieA) October 1, 2026

ITALY ROTATION REQUIRED.

Following the substitution of eight out of 11 starters from the Belgium match for the Türkiye game, Mancini plans to shuffle the lineup once more tomorrow evening. Like before, the strategy focuses on preserving squad fitness in preparation for the upcoming Türkiye rematch in Bologna on October 5th, with nine players continuing their work at Coverciano: Honest Ahanor, Nicolò Cambiaghi, Diego Coppola, Daniele Ghilardi, Samuele Inacio, Eddy Kouadio, Rolando Mandragora, Massimo Pessina and Alessandro Romano. Given the demanding schedule of four games over 11 days, rotating players becomes essential. “We’ll introduce fewer changes compared to our Bursa outing,” the manager stated. “I’m fairly confident about our starting XI, though we’ll review everything tomorrow.”

A BATTLE OF THE NO.10s.

Having secured victory in the first of two encounters with Türkiye against his former colleague Vincenzo Montella, Mancini now faces off against Zinedine Zidane. This creates an intriguing dynamic between two ex-No.10s who have consistently prioritized creative flair over strict tactical systems. The two competed against each other on just two occasions as players, both during the 1996/97 campaign: one scoreless tie and one narrow defeat for Zizou’s Juventus in an away match against Sampdoria. “Zidane was among the world’s finest players. He learned from exceptional coaches and undoubtedly absorbed valuable lessons from them. I believe this marks our first head-to-head matchup as managers, but the real battle isn’t between us personally. It’s Italy versus France, one of European football’s most storied rivalries.”

Mancini also addressed Diana Bianchedi’s decision to step down as head of delegation: “We’re deeply disappointed. She’s an exceptional champion and has been wonderful with us throughout these recent days.” The manager went on to clarify why Inacio wasn’t selected for the opening three matches. “He’s an emerging talent who requires additional time to mature. Currently, he’s training alongside us. These developments naturally take some patience.”

 

 

Take a look at your local TV schedule to catch the France vs Italy match happening on Friday, October 2nd, 2026 at 20:45 Italian time

 

 

 

 UEFA Nations League  
Group A Matchday 3

🇫🇷   France – Italy  🇮🇹
Friday, 2 October 2026
Stade de France
Saint-Denis, France

20:45

Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano ESP
Assistant Referee 1: Guadalupe Porras Ayuso ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Raúl Cabañero Martínez ESP
Fourth Official: Juan Martínez Munuera ESP
VAR: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández ESP
AVAR: Valentín Pizarro Gómez ESP
Referee Observer: Stávros Tritsónis GRE