World Cup 2026: France's potential route to the final includes Paraguay, Morocco, and a possible rematch with Argentina

France has a clearer, though still challenging, path toward a potential World Cup 2026 final on July 19. After securing their place in the round of 16 with a decisive 3-0 victory over Sweden, Kylian Mbappé and his teammates now face Paraguay on Saturday.

This round of 16 match is a rematch of the 1998 World Cup, where Laurent Blanc's golden goal secured France's victory in a tense extra-time encounter. Should France overcome the Paraguayans, who themselves eliminated Germany in the previous round, they could face Morocco in the quarter-finals on July 9. France famously eliminated Morocco in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Looking further ahead, a potential semi-final on July 14 could see France playing against Spain or Portugal. However, surprises could also lead to matches against the United States, Belgium, or Croatia in that section of the bracket.

If France reaches the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, they might face Argentina in a highly anticipated rematch of the 2022 final, a duel that would pit stars Kylian Mbappé against Lionel Messi. Other strong contenders in the other half of the bracket include England and Brazil, both considered formidable opponents.