France hosted Belgium at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Monday, October 5, 2026, for Matchday 4 of the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League Group A1, with kickoff set for 2:45 p.m. ET. France hosts Belgium at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, this Monday, October 5, for Matchday 4 of the UEFA Nations League. The clash once again found Zinedine Zidane without his captain, Kylian Mbappé, as the two European heavyweights renewed their rivalry just over a week after their first meeting of the window.

Zidane Fields a Heavily Rotated Squad

With France already through to the next phase of planning for the window, the head coach used the occasion to test squad depth. Zidane has rotated heavily during a congested window, handing first caps to Jeremy Jacquet, Andy Diouf and Lucas Da Cunha. Ousmane Dembélé continued to carry much of the attacking burden in Mbappé's absence, supported by a mix of established and emerging talent.

France's Confirmed Starting XI

France Starting XI: Guillaume Restes (GK), Jules Kounde, Leny Yoro, Maxence Lacroix, Andy Diouf, Maghnes Akliouche, Ousmane Dembele, Manu Kone, Eduardo Camavinga, Esteban Lepaul, Bradley Barcola. On the other side, Belgium Starting XI: Maarten Vandevoordt (GK), Hans Vanaken, Romeo Lavia, Nicolas Raskin, Joaquin Seys, Brandon Mechele, Nathan Ngoy, Timothy Castagne, Diego Moreira, Romelu Lukaku, Dodi Lukebakio. Romelu Lukaku led the line for the visitors with De Bruyne and Tielemans unavailable through suspension.

Mbappé's Injury Saga Continues

Mbappé has now missed three consecutive matches in this international window. France remain without captain Kylian Mbappe after the Real Madrid forward suffered an injury during the 1-0 victory over Türkiye and returned to his club. He missed the 1-0 win against Belgium and the 1-1 draw with Italy. Real Madrid's medical staff confirmed a “hyperextension of the posterior capsule of his left knee” after examinations were carried out following the injury.

When Could Mbappé Return?

The forward's comeback timeline points to his club rather than the national team. Mbappé will probably miss the match against Villarreal on October 10, and is expected to return either for the match against Roma on October 14 or for the match against Sevilla on the 18th. France's next chance to call on him would come during the November international window.

Olise's Heroics Decided the First Leg

The two sides had already met eight days earlier in Brussels, with the result hanging in the balance deep into stoppage time. In the first leg, won 1-0 by France, Les Bleus controlled possession and created plenty without taking their chances, before Michael Olise struck in the 88th minute, a late and almost unexpected winner that prompted a vivid celebration from Zinédine Zidane. That victory, combined with Olise's continued form, made him one of the central figures of France's campaign even with Mbappé sidelined.

Belgium's Absence List Keeps Growing

Mark van Bommel's side arrived at the Stade de France without several regulars. Kevin De Bruyne for the Les Bleus test with the midfield sensation suspended alongside their captain, Youri Tielemans. Beyond the suspensions, Jeremy Doku is also injured, and Leandro Trossard has been dealing with a heel problem. Thibaut Courtois is not involved in this international window. Those absences forced Van Bommel to lean on squad depth of his own, much like his French counterpart.

How to Watch and What's at Stake

Viewers in the United States could follow the match through streaming options confirmed for this fixture. France vs Belgium was available to stream live in the USA through Fubo and ViX, with kickoff today, October 5, at 2:45 PM ET. UEFA's broader US broadcast arrangement for the competition also includes FOX Sports, FuboTV and ViX among its partner broadcasters for the competition.

Beyond the personnel battles, history added extra weight to the result. The rivals had met 79 times since 1904, with the all-time record level at 30 wins each and 19 draws, meaning this 80th meeting could put France ahead for the first time in victories with a home win. With both nations sitting atop Group A1 going into the round, the outcome also carried direct implications for who would finish top of the section, a theme that continues to shape France's parallel build-up for their clash with Italy in the same group. Dembélé's performances leading the line also keep him in the conversation at his club level in Ligue 1, while Mbappé's recovery remains closely tracked by followers of LaLiga ahead of Real Madrid's return from the break.