Zinedine Zidane has returned to coaching as head coach of France’s national football team, prompting strong enthusiasm among French supporters. Tickets for his first home match in charge sold out in less than 24 hours, according to a report published on August 2, 2026. France will face Italy in the UEFA Nations League on October 2 at Paris’s Stade de France.

The 80,000-capacity stadium has no tickets remaining for the Italy match. Zidane succeeds Didier Deschamps, who stepped down after 14 years in charge. The report describes heightened expectations among supporters for the 1998 World Cup-winning figure, with fans believing his leadership can help France regain prominence in world and European football.

Zidane’s coaching campaign will begin before the Italy fixture, with France playing Turkey away on September 25. The team will then travel to Belgium on September 28 for its second match. After hosting Italy on October 2, France will play Belgium in Paris on October 5. RMC reported that, apart from a few Category 1 tickets, tickets for that Belgium match have also been sold.