France’s World Cup stars have been left outraged after being told they would be allocated ‘just’ eight tickets each for family and friends amid spiralling costs at this summer’s showpiece tournament.
According to French publication L’Equipe, the players met with the president of the French Football Federation (FFF) on Tuesday and were informed that each player would receive just two tickets, with the option to purchase a further six.
The report adds that the squad were left frustrated by the decision, with the allocation deemed ‘far too low’ and leading to tense discussions.
This comes after the French team, featuring superstars Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Rayan Cherki, were asked to accept a reduction in bonuses in March.
It was reportedly suggested that payments could be withheld until after the semi-finals to increase the overall pot, a proposal which was well received by the players.
The discussions took place on the same day the squad posed on the steps of Clairefontaine, France’s national football centre, alongside Emmanuel Macron and his wife.
The French President also greeted five Paris Saint-Germain players he hosted at his official residence, the Elysee Palace, on Sunday following their Champions League triumph – Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Lucas Hernandez, Bradley Barcola and Warren Zaire-Emery.
Arsenal defender William Saliba, who is carrying a back issue, was also present, having arrived with the Paris contingent on Tuesday morning after the Gunners’ defeat in the final.
The report adds that the squad were left frustrated by the decision, with the allocation of two tickets with the option to buy a further six deemed ‘far too low’
The discussions took place on the same day the squad posed on the steps of Clairefontaine, France’s national football centre, alongside Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte
The 2022 runners-up and 2018 champions are set to travel to the States at the beginning of next week, where they will base themselves at Bentley University in Massachusetts, staying in nearby Boston for the majority of the tournament.
Before heading to the United States for the 2026 World Cup, they will play two warm-up matches in France on Thursday, June 4th and Monday, June 8th, before travelling across the Atlantic the following day.
France open their Group I campaign against Senegal on June 16 in New Jersey, with Saliba facing a race against time to be fit for the fixture.
Deschamps’ side will then face Iraq in Philadelphia on June 22, before completing their group-stage campaign against Norway in Foxborough on June 26.
Despite being drawn in the ‘group of death’ – where they must contend with Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard’s side, as well as Sadio Mane’s dethroned AFCON champions – the expanded format means more teams than ever will progress to the knockout stages.
Instead of 16 teams advancing, 32 will progress in 2026, effectively adding an extra knockout round.
With 12 groups in total, all group winners and runners-up will qualify, along with the eight best third-placed teams.
France remain among the favourites to lift the trophy on 19 July in New York, with Opta’s supercomputer giving them a 13 per cent chance of reclaiming the title they lost to Argentina in 2022.
Mbappe & Co are second favourites behind Spain, who top the list with a 16.1 per cent probability. England complete the podium with an 11.2 per cent chance, while defending champions Argentina are fourth on 10.4 per cent.
