France enter the 2026 World Cup as one of the favourites to win the entire competition. Can they show their credentials when they take on an Ivory Coast team dreaming of glory this summer?
Les Bleus host Ivory Coast in Nantes on Thursday 4th June, with kick off scheduled for 8:10pm (UK time). With just a week remaining before the World Cup starts, will France be able to increase the fear factor around their squad’s depth or can Ivory Coast leave them with more questions ahead of the tournament?
Best Bets & Predictions
France have a superior squad but that might not count for much in a pre-tournament friendly when players are jostling for position with their respective squads, as well as trying to avoid picking up any injuries that could derail their chances. With that in mind, we’re backing a draw in this contest, as both teams look to get their tactics right defensively rather than attacking at will.
| Our Prediction | Odds & Bookmaker | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draw | 4/1 @ Spreadex (20%) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Neither of these sides will be wanting to give much away this close to the tournament and knowing your defensive shape and set pieces planning is in place could well prove to be more important for both sides as opposed to letting their flair, attacking players off the leash. A tepid draw could be on the cards but that will suit both teams, who will definitely be seeing this match as a training exercise rather than a showcase. |
| Rayan Cherki anytime scorer | 11/5 @ Virgin Bet (31.3%) | ⭐⭐⭐ | One man who could prove to be the difference maker is Rayan Cherki. His place in the French starting eleven is by no means assured and this could be the final chance he gets to prove his worth to Didier Deschamps. He’s had a great season for Man City and he’ll be keen to translate that to the international stage and force his way into Deschamps thinking ahead of France’s opening World Cup match. |
Odds correct at the time of writing.
How both sides head into France vs Ivory Coast
France are unbeaten since June 2025, when they lost 5-4 to Spain in the Nations League. Since then they’ve beaten Germany, Brazil and Colombia, with a draw against Iceland being the only time they haven’t been on the winning side. They’ve been in sparkling form in front of goal, averaging 2.7 goals per game over their last 10 but they’ve conceded just over a goal a game on average, showing that there is some defensive vulnerability within the side.
Ivory Coast haven’t fared quite as well, losing two and drawing one of their last 10. That run has brought seven victories, though, with impressive wins over Scotland and South Korea leaving Les Éléphants fans dreaming of World Cup glory this summer. Losses to Egypt and Saudi Arabia have tempered expectations somewhat but the average of two goals a game over their last 10 gives them some hope. Defensively, they haven’t been awful either, conceding an average of 0.7 goals per game in that period.
Head-to-Head
This will be the fourth meeting between the two nations, with all three previous encounters happening since the turn of the millennium and none being competitive fixtures. France definitely have the upper hand in that time, winning two of those meetings and only conceding once.
| Date | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 25/03/22 | France 2-1 Ivory Coast | Friendly |
| 15/11/16 | France 0-0 Ivory Coast | Friendly |
| 17/08/05 | France 3-0 Ivory Coast | Friendly |
Conclusion: Will France flex their muscles or be left scrambling by Ivory Coast?
France enter as favourites in this contest and one of the frontrunners to lift the World Cup but it might not be as straight forward for Didier Deschamps side against an Ivory Coast team that has plenty of talent within their ranks. We’re backing the draw at 4/1 with Spreadex, while also having a little dabble on Rayan Cherki scoring anytime at 11/5 with Virgin Bet in a game where he’ll be trying to give Deschamps some interesting thinking points ahead of his first team selection at the World Cup.
Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.
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