France and Ivory Coast meet in Nantes on June 4, 2026, with kickoff set for 3:10 PM ET in an international friendly that doubles as one last dress rehearsal before the World Cup in North America. For France, the occasion brings another look at Rayan Cherki, who is set to feature after drawing attention during a pre-tournament photo session with President Emmanuel Macron.
The timing is why this game is already pulling searches: France Vs Ivory Coast is not a throwaway summer exhibition, but a checkpoint for two sides trying to sharpen themselves before the tournament begins. France have looked settled under Didier Deschamps and go in with Kylian Mbappe leading the attack, Marcus Thuram expected alongside him, and Michael Olise also in the projected lineup. Ivory Coast, meanwhile, arrive in strong form after a 4-0 win over South Korea and a 1-0 victory over Scotland, results that suggest Emerse Faé’s team will not treat this as a tune-up to be survived.
France’s expected XI points to Mike Maignan in goal, with Ibrahima Konate, Jules Kounde, Dayot Upamecano and Lucas Digne in front of him, and a midfield that includes Cherki, Aurelien Tchouameni and N’Golo Kante. Ivory Coast are projected to start Yahia Fofana behind Ghislain Konan, Ousmane Diomande, Evan N’Dicka and Guela Doue, with Seko Fofana, Franck Kessie and Ibrahim Sangare in midfield and Elye Wahi, Yan Diomande and Nicolas Pepe up front. The match will be available to viewers in the United States across multiple platforms, giving it an audience well beyond Nantes.
There is, though, one notable absence in a French squad that otherwise looks confident and settled. William Saliba is out through injury, and the Arsenal defender’s back problem has worsened enough that surgery may be needed after the World Cup. That leaves Deschamps with a line he can trust, but not quite the back four he would prefer as the countdown tightens.
France have won four of their last five matches and drawn once, including a 3-1 victory over Colombia in their most recent friendly and wins against Brazil, Azerbaijan and Ukraine before that. Ivory Coast have no reported injuries or suspensions, which makes the bigger uncertainty this simple one: whether the projected teams are the teams that actually walk out at the Stade de la Beaujoire. The answer comes at 3:10 PM on June 4, and with the World Cup only weeks away, this is the kind of test both sides need to make count.
