Football: Italy in danger, the Blues against Brazil, Senegal at the Stade de France… The dates of the international break to remember

The Champions League and local championships are on pause and give way to international groupings. For the last time before the start of the 2026 World Cup, the national selections will meet during the last two weeks of March for a break marked by very different challenges depending on the teams.

Between final adjustments before the World Cup and fierce fight for the last tickets still accessible, the international window is not likely to lack interest. Including for the French team. Indeed, Didier Deschamps’ group will fly to the United States on Tuesday to get their first bearings in their base camp in Boston, where they will take up residence during the competition this summer.

The Blues will take advantage of their American tour to rehearse their skills one last time against two South American opponents: Brazil on Thursday March 26 (9 p.m.) then Colombia on Sunday 29 (9 p.m.).

But during the break, most eyes will logically turn towards the play-offs supposed to deliver the last six tickets still in play for the World Cup. In Europe, 16 teams will fight for four places, starting with Italy. Absent from the last two editions, the Squadra Azzurra must face Northern Ireland in the semi-final on Thursday March 26 (8:45 p.m.) before traveling, in the event of victory, to the winner of the match between Wales and Bosnia-Herzegovina at the same time for a final scheduled for Tuesday March 31 (8:45 p.m.).

The next two weeks will also be the scene of the intercontinental play-offs, pitting the last selections from outside Europe against each other, dreaming of snagging the two tickets on offer. To pursue its dream, New Caledonia will have to triumph over Jamaica on the night of Thursday March 26 to Friday March 27 (4 a.m.) before challenging the Democratic Republic of Congo in the final on Tuesday March 31 (11 p.m.).

Didier Deschamps and his staff will be more attentive to the other part of the table, which will determine the name of the opponent coming to complete their group at the World Cup, already filled with Senegal and Norway. It will be either Bolivia or Suriname, opposed on Thursday March 26 (11 p.m.) or Iraq, which will face the winner of this semi-final on the night of Tuesday March 31 to Wednesday April 1 (5 a.m.).

Most of the major selections, already qualified for the North American World Cup, will be content with preparation matches. England will face Uruguay on Friday March 27 (8:45 p.m.) then Japan on Tuesday March 31 (8:45 p.m.). For its part, Spain, deprived of Finalissima against Argentina, will test itself against Serbia on Friday 27 (9 p.m.) then against Egypt on Tuesday 31 (9 p.m.).

Another curiosity of this March truce: Senegal’s friendly match against Peru, scheduled at the Stade de France on Saturday March 28 (5 p.m.) and organized, originally, to present the African champion trophy won by the Lions of Teranga against Morocco to the French diaspora.

For their part, the Moroccans will play their first match since the unexpected decision taken by the CAF appeal jury against Ecuador on Friday March 27 (9:15 p.m.). The opportunity for Mohamed Ouahbi, the new coach, to test himself before a second duel against a South American nation: Paraguay, on Tuesday March 31 (9 p.m.).