How the play-offs work if Les Bleues do not finish top | OneFootball

If France fail to top their World Cup qualifying group, they will face two play-off rounds later this year. According to L'Équipe, they ceded first place after a 1-2 defeat in the Netherlands and can reclaim it by beating the Oranje in Auxerre on Saturday, kick-off 21:10.

France have six points to the Dutch seven. A draw or defeat would make first place harder to reach, though June brings two further fixtures, Poland on 5 June then the Republic of Ireland in Grenoble on 9 June.

This qualifying campaign mirrors a Nations League format, with Europe allocated 12 World Cup slots. The four League A group winners qualify directly for Brazil, the remaining 12 teams head into the play-offs.

Path 1 pairs the four runners-up and four third-placed sides from League A with the six group winners and two best runners-up from League C, for example Bosnia, Estonia, Croatia, Kosovo, Cyprus and Greece.

Path 2 matches League A’s fourth-placed teams and the four League B winners against League B runners-up and third-placed sides, such as Wales, Czechia, Switzerland, Portugal and Belgium. Finishing last in the group would take a collapse, with Poland currently bottom on one point, but it remains mathematically possible.

The first play-off round is two legs on 7 and 13 October. Round two will be drawn, and Path 1 winners will be seeded to play the return at home.

Seven places for Brazil will be decided by overall league-phase rankings, with an eighth team going to an intercontinental play-off. The second round is set for 25 November and 5 December.

Sakina Karchaoui said the squad believe they merit first place and are intent on reclaiming it, while accepting there are details to fix and that they are prepared for any scenario. Laurent Bonadei wants to top the group for direct qualification, acknowledges the strength of the opposition, and says France have the tools to retake first place on Saturday, while insisting the group remains open whatever the result.

Source: L'Équipe