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France head coach Didier Deschamps is departing the 2026 World Cup to return home following the passing of his mother earlier this week.
Deschamps will be absent for France's final Group I fixture against Norway — a match that will determine the group's top spot — while he attends the funeral service. The 57-year-old, who stands among just three individuals — alongside Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer — to have lifted the World Cup trophy as both a player and a manager, is expected to rejoin Les Bleus thereafter.
"Didier Deschamps will be unable to oversee training sessions ahead of the Norway–France match. He will also be absent from the dugout on Friday for Les Bleus' final Group I game," a statement from the French Football Federation read.
"The national team's head coach received the devastating news of his mother's passing. He will travel back to France to be present at her funeral."
The FFF described it as a deeply "painful moment" and conveyed its full support to Deschamps and his loved ones.
Deschamps's Assistant in Charge
In Deschamps' absence from the U.S., an agreement has been reached with FFF president Philippe Diallo for assistant coach Guy Stéphan to take charge of the side for the Norway clash. Stéphan has been a trusted right-hand man to Deschamps since 2009, when the latter took the reins at Olympique Marseille, and followed him to the France setup when Deschamps was appointed national team manager in 2012.
The 69-year-old first worked alongside Deschamps as part of Roger Lemerre's France coaching staff at Euro 2000 — when Deschamps was captaining the side — and has now been personally "entrusted" with leading the team by his long-time boss.
Norway vs. France: Why it Matters
Both Norway and France have collected six points from their opening two Group I outings, with each side having beaten Senegal and Iraq in their respective matches.
Every time Kylian Mbappé has found the net, Erling Haaland has responded in kind. While both nations have already secured automatic qualification to the next round of the World Cup, topping the group carries significant weight due to its influence on the knockout stage draw.
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France currently lead the group, with Norway sitting second on goal difference. Once the two sides meet, head-to-head record will become the primary tiebreaker, meaning Norway can leapfrog France with a victory — regardless of the margin. France, meanwhile, will retain top spot with either a win or a draw.
The Group I winner is set to face a third-place finisher from Group C, D, F, G, or H in the round of 32 at MetLife Stadium on June 30. The runner-up will take on the Group E runner-up in their first knockout tie at AT&T Stadium, also on June 30 — a spot currently occupied by Côte d'Ivoire.