Deschamps Confirms Ousmane Dembélé in Starting Line‑up for France Friendly vs Northern Ireland

France manager Didier Deschamps announced that winger Ousmane Dembélé will start in the upcoming friendly against Northern Ireland, the team’s final preparation match before the 2026 World Cup. Deschamps said Dembélé, who missed the previous game against Côte d’Ivoire after playing the Champions League final with PSG, is among the 26 players available for selection. The coach indicated that only a handful of changes will be made before the June 16 match versus Senegal, suggesting a largely consistent squad for the next two fixtures.

The friendly, scheduled for Monday, offers France a chance to fine‑tune tactics and integrate players while assessing the squad ahead of the tournament in North America.