France head into their final World Cup qualifier with the pressure off, but motivation remains high as they travel to face Azerbaijan in Baku. Their 4-0 win over Ukraine, led by a Kylian Mbappe brace , officially sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup, a result covered by SoftFootball in their report on France's qualification success. Another update also confirmed that Mbappe has now left the camp due to an ankle issue as he returns to Madrid for treatment .
Azerbaijan approach this match from a very different place. Their World Cup hopes ended weeks ago, and their recent form has been bleak. They remain winless in 15 straight matches and struggled again in their last outing, a 2-0 loss to Iceland. Despite playing at home, confidence is low, and their last eight matches in Baku have brought no victories.
France, meanwhile, want to complete a second consecutive unbeaten WCQ cycle. They have scored at least two goals in four of their last five away matches, although only two of those ended in wins. Their history against Azerbaijan offers confidence too, with three previous meetings producing a combined 15-0 scoreline.