The French Football Federation (FFF) has been fined €10,000 by UEFA for a kit-related incident involving the France national team. The penalty stems from a delay to the kick-off of a Nations League match against Belgium, lost 0-1 on 28 September 2023, caused by an issue with players' sock attachments.
European football's governing body ruled that the FFF violated article 6.07 of the Nations League regulations. This rule requires associations to submit all kit information via UEFA's TIME platform in the weeks before each match. The game, scheduled for 20:45, therefore started late.
The context at the time
This match was Zinédine Zidane's second appearance as head coach of Les Bleus. The manager had taken charge three days earlier in Turkey, where he himself missed the start of the national anthem. "The protocol was quicker than expected, I was a little slow off the mark. I would have preferred to arrive at the beginning," he said at the time. The squad then returned to Clairefontaine on 6 October for a debrief before a trip to Milan on the 11th and a home game against Turkey in Bordeaux on the 14th, where a draw was enough to qualify for the quarter-finals.
The current situation
The France team's form is now markedly different. Les Bleus are unbeaten in their last three matches, with two wins and a draw (WDW). They recently beat that same Belgium side 4-1 on 5 October, with goals from Désiré Doué, Rayan Cherki and a Michael Olise brace. Their next fixture is an away trip to Italy this Saturday, 12 November. Kylian Mbappé, who was returning from injury at the time of the socks incident, is the team's top scorer this season with 10 goals in 8 caps. The financial sanction, while symbolic, serves as a reminder of the importance of strict adherence to UEFA protocols, even on kit details.
Background and full detail: RMC Sport
