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Ukraine vs France Preview: Odds, Tips, and Prediction

Date: 5 September 2025 Kick-off (UK Time): 19:45 Venue: Stadion Miejski Ukraine hosts France at the Stadion Miejski in an exciting World Cup Qualifier on Friday, 5 September 2025. It is the start of the fixtures in Group D, and both teams will be looking to steal a march in hopes of qualifying for the coveted competition next year. With the importance of this tie, there are plenty of football betting sites to find good value for your bet slip.

Thierry Henry
Nigel Naicker

Last updated: 2025-09-02

Chad Nagel

4 minutes read

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France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe, wearing a protective mask, celebrates scoring his team's first goal

Kylian Mbappe/Getty Images

The World Cup Qualifiers kick off on Friday as Ukraine welcomes France in their Group D opener. In a group that also contains Azerbaijan and Iceland, it is the perfect opportunity to take control early on with a victory for both sides. The home side is trying to qualify for the tournament for a second time after they reached the quarter-finals in 2006. The visitors, on the other hand, have reached back-to-back finals after winning the competition in 2018 and narrowly losing the previous tournament back in 2022. 

Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability

  1. Home: 9/4 (3.25) – 28.6% 

  2. Draw: 5/2 (3.50) – 25.6%

  3. Away: 23/20 (2.15) – 45.8%

    Odds courtesy of Betway subject to change.

Head-to-Head Record

  1. 04/09/21 – Ukraine 1-1 France

  2. 24/03/21 – France 1-1 Ukraine

  3. 07/10/20 – France 7-1 Ukraine

  4. 19/11/13 – France 3-0 Ukraine

  5. 15/11/13 – Ukraine 2-0 France

Ukraine Current Form

Serhiy Rebrov’s men started the year with disappointment as they lost to Belgium which cost them the chance of a spot at promotion in the UEFA Nations League. That was followed up by defeat to Canada in a friendly and a win against New Zealand in the last encounter. 

Oleksandr Zinchenko #17 (blue) celebrates his goal by pointing his finger at the supporter

Oleksandr Zinchenko/Getty Images

Key Players to watch

  • Oleksandr Zinchenko
    The Arsenal defender is the captain and a key figure in Rebrov’s side. Zinchenko is a very technically gifted player and often plays more advanced for his national team. 
  • Andriy Lunin
    The Real Madrid shot-stopper is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. His agility and quick reflexes make him really hard to beat between the sticks. 
  • Illia Zabarnyi
    Zabarnyi recently made the switch from Bournemouth to Paris Saint-Germain after an impressive season in England. The 23-year-old is an intelligent defender and has great ability to play out from the back. 

Ukraine Team News

The Blue-Yellows narrowly missed out on the 2022 World Cup after they lost in the play-off final and will want to go one further this time round. Andriy Yarmolenko is the only player missing for Rebrov’s side as they prepare to welcome France. 

France Current Form

Didier Deschamps' side has had a mixed bag of results lately. France narrowly lost to Spain in the UEFA Nations League but defeated Germany to secure third spot. They were unbeaten in qualifying for the last World Cup and will want to reimagine that form again

Ousmane Dembele of France controls the ball during the UEFA Nations League 2025

Ousmane Dembele /Getty Images

Key Players to watch

  • Kylian Mbappe 
    Mbappe scored in his previous two games for his national team and will be looking score for a third game in a row in his 91st appearance for France. 
  • Ousmane Dembele
    The PSG forward has arguably been one of the best players in the world over the past year and will be a handful to deal with for the Ukraine fullbacks. 
  • Michael Olise 
    Olise has gone to Bayern Munich and slotted into their star-studded attack with ease. The 23-year-old already has three goals in two games for this club this season. 

France Team News

Deschamps has rung the changes for the upcoming qualifiers. PSG duo Randal Kolo Muani and Warren Zaire-Emery have been left out and Arsenal defender William Saliba will miss the tie due to an injury he picked up for his club against Liverpool in the Premier League this past weekend. 

Predicted Line-Ups

  1. Ukraine (4-3-3): Lunin, Zinchenko, Cheberko, Zabarnyi, Tymchyk, Nazaryna, Pikhalyonok, Mykhaylenko, Kabayev, Hutsulyak, Zubkov

  2. France (4-2-3-1): Maignan, Kounde, Upamencano, Konate, Hernandez, Tchouameni, Rabiot, Olise, Dembele, Mbappe, Thuram

Suggested Bets

For clarity on how outcomes like goals and both teams to score are settled, see the full betting rules provided by each sportsbook.

  1. Both Teams to Score (Yes): Three of the previous five games between these two sides saw both teams find the back of the net. (Forecast odds: 21/25. Odds available closer to kick-off with Betway)

  2. Under 2.5 Goals: A cagey game is expected and three of the last five games between France and Ukraine saw under 2.5 goals. (Forecast odds: 18/25. Odds available closer to kick-off with Betway)

Value Bets

Understanding key betting rules can also help ensure clarity when navigating different markets and potential outcomes.

  1. Draw: Each of the last two games between these two sides have ended in a stalemate and a tight clash is expected on Friday as well. (Forecast odds: 2/1. Odds available closer to kick-off with 1Win)

  2. Kylian Mbappe Anytime Goal Scorer: As mentioned earlier, Mbappe has registered in each of his last two games for France. Back the Real Madrid star to find the back of the net against Ukraine. (Forecast odds: 21/25. Odds available closer to kick-off with Stake) 

Prediction: Draw

It is set to be a top clash on Friday evening between two sides who have shared the spoils in both of their previous games. The French are a formidable outfit and could edge it but with the home crowd spurring on Ukraine, back the draw in this Group D opener. New players can also benefit from a sign-up bonus when placing value bets like these, giving them extra balance to work with.

Thierry Henry
Nigel NaickerBetting Writer

With a decade of sports writing expertise, Nigel Naicker has crafted compelling content across football leagues like the Premier League and UEFA Champions League, as well as cricket and UFC. A passionate storyteller since 2014, Nigel joins the SportsBoom team, ready to deliver insightful narratives across various sports disciplines.

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