Zinedine Zidane changes media rules for the France national team By Thiago Lemos
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Zinedine Zidane altered the internal media guidelines of the France national football team on September 18, 2026, initiating operational shifts prior to his debut match on the bench. The decision dismantled operational patterns that Didier Deschamps maintained during 14 years in charge.
The changes take effect during the squad announcement in Paris, where television cameras will not enter the auditorium. The Fédération Française de Football decided to produce and stream the entire presentation exclusively through its official digital channels. Deschamps allowed broadcast crews inside.
At the Clairefontaine training complex, where press crews previously filmed arriving athletes directly from the gates under Didier Deschamps, the Fédération Française de Football will now record and distribute all squad arrival footage internally to keep external television cameras away from the facility.
Reporters will receive access to new mixed zones during the training camp to interview players directly. Deschamps blocked these interactions.
Individual interviews with the coach remain banned throughout this international window. Zidane maintains a reserved routine. The schedule includes eight press conferences with the manager between the squad announcement on September 18, 2026, and the encounter with Belgium on October 5, 2026.
Schedule for the Nations League fixtures and training camp
The roster marks the first French selection in 14 years without Deschamps directing the squad list. France faces four matches during this Nations League window.
The team plays away against Turkey on September 25, 2026, travels to face Belgium, and then hosts Italy and Belgium at the Stade de France.
