Fri Sep 05 18:10:00 UTC 2025: ## France Kicks Off World Cup Qualifying Amid Concerns Over Player Fatigue

**Wroclaw, Poland** – France, the 2018 World Cup champions, begin their journey towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup today with a crucial qualifier against Ukraine. The match, hosted at the Tarczynski Arena Wroclaw in Poland due to ongoing security concerns in Ukraine, marks France’s first appearance in World Cup qualifying since their heartbreaking final loss to Argentina in Qatar in December 2022.

The game, scheduled for 8:45 PM (18:45 GMT), is the first of six matches to be played over an 11-week period to determine which European teams will advance to the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

France is among 24 teams entering the qualifying program at this later stage due to their participation in the latter stages of the 2025 Nations League, where Portugal emerged victorious. They are joined in Group D by Iceland and Azerbaijan.

However, the excitement surrounding the start of the qualifiers is tempered by growing concerns over the increasingly congested football calendar. France defender Jules Kounde has publicly voiced his concerns about the relentless pace of fixtures, arguing that it is negatively impacting players, their families, and the broader footballing ecosystem.

“It’s not just about the players,” Kounde stated. “There are families. I also think about all the people who work around football and who are sometimes victims of this relentless pace.”

His comments come as several high-profile players, including Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki and Arsenal’s William Saliba, have been forced to withdraw from the double-header of games with injury. Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele also missed training due to a thigh injury, further highlighting the physical toll the packed schedule is taking.

Kounde urged football’s governing bodies to re-evaluate the current model, stating, “These are things we need to put into perspective, and I think they need to change.”

While the focus will be on the pitch tonight as France looks to secure a vital win against Ukraine, the off-field debate surrounding player welfare is likely to remain a prominent talking point throughout the World Cup qualifying campaign.

**Team News:**

* **Ukraine:** Anatoliy Trubin will start in goal for Ukraine due to an injury to Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin. Oleksandr Tymchyk is also out due to a knock.
* **France:** Saliba has sustained a muscle injury, while Cherki withdrew due to a knock, replaced by Hugo Ekitike. Dembele is expected to be fit to play.

**Predicted Lineups:**

* **Ukraine:** Trubin; Konoplya, Zabarnyi, Matviienko, Mykolenko; Kaliuzhny, Zinchenko; Tsygankov, Shaparenko, Sudakov; Dovbyk
* **France:** Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Konate, T Hernandez; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Olise, Dembele, Thuram; Mbappe

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