2026 World Cup: FIFA rejects France's request to wear armbands in honor of coach Didier Deschamps' mother
FIFA has rejected France's request to wear armbands in honor of the mother of late coach Didier Deschamps. The team beat Norway 4-1, ensuring a perfect performance in the group stage.
France coach Didier Deschamps was unable to be in charge of the team in the group stage match against Norway at the 2026 World Cup due to the death of his mother. The French Football Federation (FFF) had planned a tribute, asking players to wear black armbands during the match, but FIFA denied the request, as reported by journalist Amy Lawrence, from The Athletic.
There was also confusion over a pre-match tribute, as the FFF told the press that there would be a minute's silence out of respect for Deschamps' mother. Minutes later, the FFF clarified that FIFA had informed that the silence would be in memory of the victims of the devastating earthquake in Venezuela.
Deschamps, who has been coach of the French national team since 2012, led the team to win the world title in 2018 and runner-up in 2022. This year, France is one of the favorites, with stars such as Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, who are in contention for the Golden Shoe.
Under the leadership of assistant coach Guy Stéphan, France produced an impressive performance, beating Norway 4-1, with reigning Ballon d'Or winner Dembélé scoring the second fastest hat-trick in World Cup history. That victory ensured France had a perfect 3-0 record in the group stage, and their next challenge will be against a team who finished third at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey next Tuesday.
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