Zinédine Zidane's debut as France coach triggers sold‑out stadium

Zinédine Zidane France national team ticket sellout Stade de France Palace Merano

Zinédine Zidane was appointed head coach of the France national football team, signing a four‑year contract that runs from 1 August 2026 to the 2030 World Cup and includes the Nations League and Euro 2028. The contract reportedly pays a fixed €3.6 million per season, rising to €5.4 million with performance bonuses, making him the highest‑paid French selector in history.

His first match in charge will be against Italy on 2 October 2026 at the Stade de France. All 80 000 tickets were sold out within 24 hours of release, and a second home game against Belgium on 5 October is also expected to sell out quickly. France will also face Turkey on 25 September and Belgium on 28 September as part of the 2026‑27 Nations League group.

Beyond the national team, Zidane has maintained a long‑standing personal link to the Palace Merano resort in the Italian Alps, where he has been a regular visitor for three decades and helped create the Sport Recovery Lab that uses AI‑driven biomechanical testing for athletes.

Entities

Didier Deschamps · France national football team · French Football Federation · French Football Federation (FFF) · Italy national football team · José Mourinho · Kylian Mbappé · Luis Enrique · Palace Merano · Philippe Diallo · Stade de France · Zinedine Zidane

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] Zidane will present his coaching staff in early September 2026. www.2duerighe.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Zidane's contract runs for four years starting 1 August 2026 and includes the Nations League, Euro 2028 and World Cup 2030 qualifiers. www.2duerighe.com · sixactualites.fr
[● 2 SOURCES] Zidane succeeds Didier Deschamps, who managed the team for 14 years. www.2duerighe.com · www.kickfootball.fr
[○ 1 SOURCE] Zidane's annual salary is reported to be about €3.6 million, potentially rising to €5.4 million with bonuses. www.kickfootball.fr
[○ 1 SOURCE] Zidane intends to address player issues privately rather than publicly.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Christophe Dugarry said he never imagined Zidane would become a coach, noting his enthusiasm for training on the pitch. www.tuttomercatoweb.com
[● 7 SOURCES] Zinédine Zidane was appointed head coach of the French national football team. www.2duerighe.com · www.kickfootball.fr · sixactualites.fr · www.sport.ro · www.tuttomercatoweb.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Kylian Mbappé posted a short welcome message to Zidane after his appointment. www.sport.ro
[○ 1 SOURCE] Kylian Mbappé posted a short welcome message to Zidane after his appointment as France coach. www.sport.ro
[○ 1 SOURCE] Zidane has been a regular visitor to Palace Merano in the Italian Alps for about 30 years and helped create its Sport Recovery Lab. freshmagparis.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Zidane will earn a fixed salary of €3.6 million per season, potentially rising to €5.4 million with performance bonuses. www.kickfootball.fr · www.lavanguardia.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Zidane's contract runs for four years starting 1 August 2026 and includes the Nations League, Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup. www.2duerighe.com · www.lejdd.fr