France 1-1 Italy was the final score at the Stade de France on Friday night, as Alessandro Bastoni cancelled out a brilliant Michael Olise strike to spoil Zinedine Zidane’s first home game as France coach. Upamecano was sent off late on, and the draw keeps France top of Nations League Group A1 but lets Belgium close the gap to a single point.
If you only need the headline: Olise scored from a clever free kick routine just after half time, Italy pressed high and punished a French mistake midway through the second half, and the visitors held on for a point that keeps them firmly in the race for the quarter-finals.
France 1-1 Italy: key facts
- Competition: UEFA Nations League, League A, Group A1 (Matchday 3)
- Date: Friday 2 October 2026
- Kick-off: 21:45 EAT
- Venue: Stade de France, Saint-Denis
- Goals: Olise 55′ (France), Bastoni 68′ (Italy)
- Red card: Dayot Upamecano (France), second yellow, 85′
- Group A1 after three games: France 7 pts, Belgium 6, Italy 4, Turkey 0
How the France vs Italy result unfolded
A cagey first half with Italy dangerous on the break
This was not the comfortable home debut Zidane would have wanted. Italy started brightly and carved out the best early chance when a move down the right found Moise Kean close to goal, only for Mike Maignan to react quickly and keep it out. France had more of the ball but Italy looked the sharper side in transition, and the visitors went into the break level and full of belief.
It was a reminder that this Italy side is far more than a defensive unit. After their convincing win in Turkey last week, they came to Paris with a clear plan: stay compact, press in the right moments and go direct when the chance appeared.
Olise lights up Saint-Denis
The breakthrough arrived ten minutes after the restart. Rayan Cherki rolled a short free kick to Olise, and the winger curled a superb effort in off the underside of the crossbar, giving Gianluigi Donnarumma no chance. It was another big moment for Olise, who also scored the late winner in Belgium earlier in this window, and he is fast becoming the man France look to when games are tight.
France pushed for a second. Ousmane Dembele had several efforts and Donnarumma was kept busy, producing a series of important saves to keep Italy within touching distance.
Bastoni punishes a costly turnover
Italy’s equaliser came from exactly the kind of pressing they had threatened all night. France tried to play out from midfield, Lucas Da Cunha was caught in possession, and Bastoni burst forward from defence to finish calmly past Maignan in the 68th minute. For a centre-back to be the one arriving in the box at that moment says a lot about how aggressive Italy were willing to be.
France’s evening got worse five minutes from time. Upamecano, already on a yellow card, brought down Kean and was shown a second booking, leaving Les Bleus to see out the final minutes with ten men. Neither side could find a winner after that.
What the draw means for Group A1
France stay top on seven points, but the gap has shrunk. Belgium beat Turkey 3-0 on the same night to move up to six points, setting up a huge meeting between the top two in Paris on Monday. Italy move to four points and remain right in the hunt, while Turkey have lost all three games.
The top two in each League A group reach the quarter-finals, so with three group games still to play for each side, every point matters.
Talking points for France
- Upamecano’s absence: a red card normally brings an automatic one-match ban, which would rule him out of Monday’s game against Belgium. Zidane will need a new centre-back partnership.
- Game management: France were in control after scoring but gave the ball away cheaply in a dangerous area. Against a Belgium side full of confidence, that cannot happen again.
- Olise’s form: two decisive goals in two games make him one of the standout players of this Nations League window.
Talking points for Italy
- Belief is growing: a heavy away win in Turkey followed by a point in Paris is a strong week’s work.
- Donnarumma in top form: the goalkeeper’s saves were the reason Italy were still in the game when Bastoni struck.
- Home advantage next: Italy host winless Turkey on Monday, a game they will expect to win to move level with or above France.
What comes next
Both sides are back in action on Monday 5 October. France host Belgium in a top-of-the-table clash and Italy welcome Turkey, with both games kicking off at 21:45 EAT. You can read how France won the reverse fixture in our Belgium 0-1 France report, catch up on Italy’s last outing in our Turkey 1-4 Italy report, and look back at our France vs Italy prediction. Fresh tips for the weekend and Monday will appear on our predictions page.
Fixtures, standings and official match details are available on the official UEFA Nations League website.
FAQs
What was the France vs Italy score?
France and Italy drew 1-1 at the Stade de France on Friday 2 October 2026 in the UEFA Nations League.
Who scored in France 1-1 Italy?
Michael Olise gave France the lead in the 55th minute and Alessandro Bastoni equalised for Italy in the 68th minute.
Why was Upamecano sent off against Italy?
Dayot Upamecano received a second yellow card in the 85th minute for a foul on Moise Kean.
When do France play next?
France host Belgium in the Nations League on Monday 5 October 2026, with kick-off at 21:45 EAT.
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