France held by Iceland in Reykjavik thriller
France’s unbeaten run came to a halt as France held by Iceland in a thrilling 2-2 draw on Monday night in Reykjavik, during the fourth round of Group D in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The hosts showed great resilience, denying Didier Deschamps’ side a fourth consecutive victory.
Iceland stun France with late equaliser
Iceland opened the scoring in the 39th minute through Victor Pallsson after a defensive lapse from Eduardo Camavinga. France responded strongly in the second half, with Christopher Nkunku’s solo goal in the 63rd minute and Jean-Philippe Mateta’s debut strike just five minutes later turning the game around.
However, Iceland refused to surrender, equalising through Kristjan Helsson in the 70th minute to secure a well-earned point and leave the visitors frustrated.
Deschamps rotates as Mbappé sidelined
Without captain Kylian Mbappé, who is recovering from injury, Deschamps made seven changes to his starting lineup. Mike Maignan captained the side, while newcomers like Mateta and Manu Koné were handed key roles. Despite dominating possession, France lacked sharpness in the final third and failed to protect their lead late on.
Group standings and next steps
With the draw, France sit atop Group D with 10 points from four matches, while Iceland climb to four points. Ukraine’s 2-1 victory over Azerbaijan kept them second with seven points, maintaining pressure on the French.
Deschamps’ men will look to bounce back in their next qualifier, aiming to regain momentum and secure early passage to the 2026 World Cup.
