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Zinedine Zidane’s first home match as France head coach has generated huge excitement, with all 80,000 tickets for the UEFA Nations League clash against Italy selling out within just one day.
The October 2 fixture at the iconic Stade de France carries added significance. Twenty years after Zidane’s infamous headbutt and red card against Italy in the 2006 FIFA World Cup final, the French legend will once again face the Azzurri—this time from the dugout rather than on the pitch.
Zidane took charge of the French national team following the departure of Didier Deschamps, who stepped down after serving as head coach for 14 years and leading France through multiple major tournaments.
France will begin their Nations League campaign away to Türkiye on September 25 before traveling to Belgium for their second group match three days later.
Zidane’s first match on home soil will come against Italy in Paris, where demand has been overwhelming. The French Football Federation confirmed that all tickets for the 80,000-capacity Stade de France were snapped up within 24 hours of going on sale.
Interest remains equally strong for France’s next home fixture against Belgium on October 5. French outlet RMC Sport reported that only a handful of first-category tickets remain available, with nearly the entire stadium already sold out.