France coach Didier Deschamps will step down from his role at the end of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 56-year-old, who is France’s longest-serving national team coach, will not seek to renew his contract which expires in 2026, the French football federation (FFF) confirmed on January 7.
FFF president, Philippe Diallo, told Reuters that Deschamps would not look to extend his stay after the 2026 World Cup in North America, adding: “He will go until the end of his contract, which means 2026.”
It is unclear who will succeed him, but former France midfielder and Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, who is currently unemployed, is the heavy favourite for the job.
Deschamps took over from former teammate and fellow 1998 World Cup winner, Laurent Blanc, in 2012 and led Les Bleus to the FIFA World Cup title in 2018 in Russia. He was also at the helm when France lost to Portugal in the European Championship Final on home soil.
The former France captain, who is one of only three persons to win the FIFA World Cup both as a player and a coach, guided the national team to the World Cup final in 2022, losing to Argentina via penalties.