Brazil vs France LIVE: Mbappe and Dembele start as World Cup favourites meet in heavyweight clash | OneFootball

Brazil and France will get the opportunity to flex their World Cup muscles in front of an American audience tonight as the two international heavyweights clash in Massachusetts.

Both nations will head to this summer’s tournament among the favourites to bring home the crown, with record-winners Brazil hoping to lift the fabled trophy for the first time since 2002.

That’s despite the Selecao not enjoying the most fruitful of qualifying campaigns, finishing in an underwhelming fifth place in the Conmebol table - 10 points adrift of leaders and World Cup holders Argentina.

Didier Deschamps will therefore be keen for France to make a statement against Carlo Ancelotti’s side in the friendly, with Les Bleus having come out on the losing side against Brazil in their previous two friendlies in 2013 and 2015.

When is Brazil vs France?

Just five minutes until the coverage starts on ITV4, so here’s a reminder of how you can watch tonight’s game...

Brazil vs France is due to kick off at 8pm GMT (4pm local) on Thursday 26 March at Gillette Stadium in Boston.

How can I watch it?

In the United Kingdom, the match will be broadcast on ITV4 and streamed on ITVX.

Coverage starts at 7:50pm.

Chris Wilson26 March 2026 19:45

What have the managers said?

And here are the pre-match quotes from France manager Didier Deschamps:

“Brazil has always been one of the great nations on the global stage, with many World Cup wins, even though they lost in 1998!

“But in 2002, they were world champions, with so many great players. Now they have a coach I know well since I had him, even for a short time, but he was coach of Juventus for a short time [between 1999 and 2001].

“When France faces Brazil, it is always a special moment. I know for my players, having spoken with a few of them. It’s Brazil, it speaks to everyone because it is also the land of football,” he added.

(Getty Images)

Previous meetings: Brazil 0-1 France, World Cup 2006

Another World Cup meeting, and more heartache for Brazil, who crashed out at the quarter-finals in 2006, four years on from winning in style in 2002.

This was not a team short on talent considering it boasted the likes of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka and Adriano, but once again Les Bleus managed to mastermind a win when it mattered on their way to the 2006 final.

In the end, a man-of-the-match performance from Zinedine Zidane and a great volley from Thierry Henry were enough to steer France into the semi-finals, though the tournament was to end badly for the side as Zidane was sent off for his infamous headbutt and they lost on penalties to Italy in the final!

(Getty Images)

Chris Wilson26 March 2026 19:35

What have the managers said?

Here’s an extract from what Carlo Ancelotti said on today’s opponents in his pre-match press conference.

“Over the last few months, we’ve been thinking about what the best game model for the team is, the characteristics. We think the best game model is four players up front, and tomorrow is the same,” he said.

“We want to play a good game, control the game, and obviously trying to do both things well – defend well, and to play well with the ball,” he added.

(Getty Images)