France vs Australia: Lineups and LIVE updates

2018 World Cup winners France will take centre stage when they begin their title defence against Australia at the Al Janoub Stadium.

Didier Deschamps would have wished for Ballon d'Or recipient Karim Benzema to not have suffered any injury. The Real Madrid number 9, alongside Christopher Nkunku, will be the major absentees for Les Blues.

However, all the focus will be on their world-beating talent Kylian Mbappé to carry the goalscoring burden and lead the frontline in Benzema's absence.

Australia, on the other hand, will hope to get a positive result to boost their ambitions of reaching the Round of 16, having had three successive group stage exits. The Socceroos grabbed two wins out of two in September, which will help them be high in confidence against a side that's among the favourites to go all the way this time too.

France XI (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Pavard, Konaté, Upamecano, Lucas Hernández; Tchouaméni, Rabiot; Dembélé, Griezmann, Mbappé; Giroud

Australia XI (4-3-3): Ryan; Atkinson, Souttar, Rowles, Behich; McGree, Mooy, Irvine; Leckie, Duke, Goodwin

France will face fellow Europeans Denmark in their next Group D encounter on Saturday, 26th November, at Stadium 974, while Australia will lock horns against Tunisia earlier on the same day, at the Al Janoub Stadium.