France’s top constitutional authority on Friday (August 14, 2026) struck down a ban on social media access for children under 15, dealing a blow to the legislation championed by President Emmanuel Macron.

The Constitutional Council found that Article 1 of the legislation “constitutes an infringement that is neither appropriate, necessary, nor proportionate” to the freedom of expression and communication of those under 15.

Mr. Macron had thanked members of Parliament for backing the legislation and pledged to enforce it by September.

After the ruling, the Elysee said Mr. Macron had tasked Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu with working on a new “legally robust draft” of the legislation.

Mr. Lecornu will have to work “as quickly as possible” on a draft that takes into account both the Constitutional Council’s ruling and the European regulatory framework, the Elysee Palace said.

The presidency said Mr. Macron’s determination to see the reform implemented remained undiminished.

A growing number of countries are taking steps to restrict social media access amid multiplying warnings over its harmful effects on children.

France has turned consistency in World Cups into an art form, lifting the ultimate prize in 2018, finishing runner-up four years later and securing another semifinal qualification in ongoing tournament. Since conquering the football world eight years ago, Les Bleus have set a benchmark for other National teams.

The 2-0 victory over Morocco extended that remarkable run; what stands out is the fact that France is only the third nation ever to reach three consecutive semifinals, with Didier Deschamps’ army joining Germany (four straight from 2002-2014, three from 1982-1990) and Brazil (three from 1994-2002).

The driving force behind France’s enviable success has been Kylian Mbappe, whose leadership and decisive contributions have given his side another shot at glory.

Since the 2018 World Cup, the thrill-a-minute forward has bagged 20 goals in the marquee event, including eight in this edition. Mbappe is involved in a closely contested Golden Boot race with Argentine talisman Lionel Messi (8 goals).

That the French captain has been surrounded by world-class talent has also helped in producing solid results. Ousmane Dembele has blossomed into a Ballon d’Or winner and has raised his game with crucial goals, while the in-form Michael Olise, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola have taken some weight off Mbappe in the current edition.

While the attacking unit has grabbed the attention, the backline, led by William Saliba, has quietly gone about its business.

Overseeing it all is Deschamps, whose tactical acumen and man-management skills have been the common thread through the three tournaments. He has repeatedly rebuilt the squad capable of peaking at the right moments.

With Spain awaiting in the semifinals on Tuesday, France stands just one victory away from another final. Regardless of the outcome, this generation will always have its place in football history. Les Bleus continue to redefine excellence, proving that dynasties are not built on one golden generation but on a culture that refuses to stop winning.

Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi admitted that his side was made to suffer by France’s quality in a 0-2 World Cup quarterfinal defeat on Thursday, saying that the first half in particular exposed how difficult it can be to cope with a team of such attacking talent.

Morocco’s hopes of returning to the semifinal stage, where its historic 2022 run had ended, were extinguished by goals from Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele. Ouahbi acknowledged that France was the better side long before the breakthrough arrived.

“We wanted to go on, but the first half was very complicated,” the chief coach said. “The French side was very good on the ball, and it caused us a lot of problems on the sides (flanks). And when we had possession, we were not good in transition.”

Morocco spent much of the opening period pinned back by France’s speed and movement, with Yassine Bounou forced into a string of saves, including Mbappe’s penalty. Ouahbi felt that his side improved after the break, when it had more control of the ball and was able to transition better, but conceded that France’s superiority had already put the 2018 champion in control.

“We have to recognise that France has great players and that it could have scored before. We would have liked to see how it would have reacted if it had not scored. We lacked ideas and we have to accept this defeat,” said the head coach.

He was generous in his assessment of France, calling it one of the most complete sides in the tournament. “The French national team is beautiful, and it has had a great team for a long time,” Ouahbi said. “It has a federation that works well, it has reached the final twice (recently), and it has a lot of players who make the difference on the field. France does not get worked up; it has the quality to go to the final.”

Ouahbi rejected any suggestion that Morocco’s approach was cautious in the last-eight match, insisting that his team’s defensive line was shaped by the demands of the opponent. “I don’t set my team to defend high or low, we do it depending on the game. We were not able to defend high, but we were alright with a low block.”

For all the disappointment, Ouahbi sees the defeat as part of a longer journey. “It is difficult to talk about regrets when you are in a quarterfinal. We have a young team with talented players; we will continue to grow. We can only go forward from here”.

As Philadelphia prepares to mark 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, France arrives at the Lincoln Financial Field — called Philadelphia stadium for the tournament — looking every bit the World Cup’s dominant force, but well aware that Paraguay has already shown how quickly an empire can be unsettled.

Les Bleus have spent much of this World Cup making opponents look alarmingly unprepared. One moment Kylian Mbappe is sprinting into the space behind a backline, the next Ousmane Dembele has twisted free in a crowd, and before defenders can recover Michael Olise has already found the pass or the finish. It is football played at a pace and precision that can make resistance feel futile.

That has been the story of Didier Deschamps’ side through four matches in the United States. France has scored 13 goals, conceded only twice and moved through the tournament with the air of a team that has found its rhythm early. Sweden was the latest to be swept aside, a 3-0 win that again showcased the frightening blend of France’s attacking riches.

But Saturday’s last-16 tie against Paraguay carries its own warning. Gustavo Alfaro’s side has already authored the shock of the tournament, dragging Germany into a grim, fractious contest, holding it to a 1-1 draw and then sending it home on penalties.

That result was built on discipline. Junior Alonso and Gustavo Gomez held the centre of defence together, attacking crosses and refusing to let Germany play through the middle, while Andres Cubas and Damian Bobadilla snapped into tackles in front of them. Miguel Almiron’s running gave Paraguay an outlet to escape pressure, while Julio Enciso, its sharpest attacking threat, has carried much of the danger in the final third.

Paraguay will not try to trade punches with France. It will look to smother spaces, break rhythm and turn the evening into a long, airless struggle in which favourites begin to doubt themselves.

Mbappe, one of the early contenders for the Golden Boot with six goals, was careful to acknowledge the danger Paraguay possess. “I am focused on the climate and the locker room. They showed that they are a team to be taken seriously after Germany. We will go there to win,” he said.

The temperature in Philadelphia is expected to hit higher than 38 degrees, with scientists urging FIFA to push back the 5PM start.

Deschamps, back in the dugout after a family bereavement, has also warned against reading Paraguay’s run as a novelty. “I’ve watched Paraguay. What they have achieved is no accident,” he said. “It is a typical South American team, strong in the duels and very tenacious, and they also have players of great quality.”

There is history here too. The last time France faced Paraguay in a World Cup knockout game, in 1998, it needed Laurent Blanc’s golden goal in the 114th minute to escape. Deschamps was the captain that day. Nearly three decades on, he returns to the same fixture with a side far more explosive than the one he had led then.

Paraguay, though, will travel to Philadelphia believing explosions can be muffled. Its task is simple. To make France wait, make France work, and see if impatience can unsettle Les Blues as well.

The World Cup has a habit of redefining football’s hierarchy. New stars emerge, established powers fall and careers are forever defined by a handful of moments.

As the tournament heads to North America for the first time since 1994, the game is at a crossroads. Argentina is attempting to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup. Kylian Mbappe is looking to cement his place at the top of the game, while Spain’s young stars seek to fulfil their promise. And there remain questions over what a 48-team competition will look like in practice.

Some of those will be answered over the next 39 days as football’s biggest tournament unfolds in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Across 104 matches in 16 host cities, teams will navigate vast distances, multiple time zones and varying conditions, testing not only their quality but also endurance.

Argentina enters the showpiece with much of the squad that conquered the world in Qatar and with Lionel Messi still leading the way.

Now 38 and playing for Inter Miami, Messi knows North American conditions better than most rivals and will hope familiarity can fuel one final run at the world stage.

Argentina begins as one of the favourites, but there will be no shortage of challengers. Spain arrives as the reigning European champion, powered by the creativity of Pedri and Lamine Yamal. Under Luis de la Fuente, it has evolved beyond the possession-heavy style that defined its golden generation, combining technical excellence with greater intensity and directness.

France, world champion in 2018 and finalist in 2022, has spent much of the last decade setting the benchmark in international football.

Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Aurelien Tchouameni headline a side capable of dominating games with or without possession and adapting to the varied demands of tournament football.

England, led by Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, will again carry the weight of expectations, while Brazil seeks its first World Cup title since 2002. Germany appears rejuvenated after years of inconsistency, with Portugal hoping Cristiano Ronaldo can inspire one final memorable run.

The tournament’s biggest change is structural. Expansion to 48 teams has altered the landscape of international football.

Asia now has eight direct qualification places and Africa nine, opening the door for nations that previously stood little chance of reaching the World Cup.

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Curacao and Jordan will make their debuts, while several emerging football countries believe that they can do more than simply participate. Whether the expanded format strengthens the competition or merely stretches it remains to be seen.

Off the field, at a time when the world feels increasingly fenced off, the game has already encountered some of the complications that come with staging a global event. Iran will be based in Mexico and commute to its matches in the United States amid continuing tensions between Tehran and Washington and the wider regional conflict involving Israel.

There has also been controversy surrounding Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry into the USA despite reportedly holding a valid visa and diplomatic passport. Artan, the 2025 African Referee of the Year, was set to become the first Somali official to take part at a World Cup.

But for all the attention on politics, travel and expansion, the tournament will ultimately be judged by the football it produces. In a world that often feels increasingly fractured, the World Cup remains one of the few occasions capable of making the globe move to a common rhythm.

And for over a month, football, hopefully, will once again prove to be bigger than the machinery that powers it today.

President Emmanuel ​Macron on Tuesday (March 3, 2026) said France was sending its ‌aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the ​Mediterranean and working to build ⁠a coalition that would help secure maritime traffic imperiled by the escalating crisis in the West Asia

In ‌a televised address to the nation, Mr. Macron said that action needed to ‌be taken with the Straits of ‌Hormuz ⁠closed and the Suez Canal and Red ⁠Sea shipping routes threatened by the widening conflict. “We have economic interests to protect, because oil prices, gas prices ​and the international ‌trade situation are being profoundly disrupted by this war.,” Mr. Macron said.

He said France had also sent a frigate to Cyprus ‌and had shot down drones in the ​skies above its Gulf allies.

Rafale jets were among the assets being ⁠used.

Macron on U.S.-Israel role on Iran attack

“We have defense agreements that bind us to Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. ‌The latter are particularly targeted, and we owe them solidarity,” Mr. Macron said. He said France was helping its citizens who wanted to leave the region get out and that two flights were due to arrive ‌in Paris on Tuesday evening. Security had also been ​reinforced at some sites in France, he added.

Mr. Macron said Iran itself “bears primary ⁠responsibility” for the U.S.-Israeli action, but added: “the United States ⁠of America and Israel have decided to launch military operations; they were conducted ‌outside international law, which we cannot approve.” 

France, Germany and the U.K. said on Sunday (March 1, 2026) they were ready to defend their interests and those of its allies in the Gulf if necessary by taking “defensive action” against Iran.

The three countries’ leaders were “appalled by the indiscriminate and disproportionate missile attacks launched by Iran against countries in the region, including those who were not involved in initial U.S. and Israeli military operations”, said the joint statement.

“Iran’s reckless attacks have targeted our close allies and are threatening our service personnel and our civilians across the region,” the statement added.

“We call on Iran to stop these reckless attacks immediately.

“We will take steps to defend our interests and those of our allies in the region, potentially through enabling necessary and proportionate defensive action to destroy Iran’s capability to fire missiles and drones at their source,” said the statement.

“We have agreed to work together with the U.S. and allies in the region on this matter.”

Iran has launched a series of missile and drone strikes on several Gulf countries, saying it is targeting U.S. bases, after being hit by U.S.-Israeli missile strikes from Saturday (February 28, 2026).

Iran’s attacks have hit a multinational military base near Arbil in northern Iraq, and a German army camp in the east of Jordan, a German army spokesman told AFP, confirming media reports.

There had been no casualties in the attacks, he added.

Use of British ‌bases

British Prime ​Minister Keir ‌Starmer said on Sunday (March 1, 2026) ​that ⁠his country has accepted a U.S. ‌request to use British ‌bases for ‌defensive ⁠strikes ⁠against Iranian missiles in storage depots or ​launchers.

“The ‌United States has requested permission to use ‌British bases for ​that specific and limited ⁠defensive purpose. We have taken ‌the decision to accept this request to prevent Iran ‌firing missiles across the ​region,” Mr. Starmer said in ⁠a video ⁠message on X.

He added: “We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and we will not join offensive action now.

Iran on U.S.-Israeli attack

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced a “large-scale” attack on Sunday (March 1, 2026), and blasts were heard in Riyadh, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Manama, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, with Israeli rescue services reporting at least nine people killed in the city of Beit Shemesh.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian declared Khamenei’s killing a “declaration of war against Muslims” and warned: “Iran considers it its legitimate duty and right to avenge the perpetrators and masterminds of this historic crime.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told U.S. channel ABC News on Sunday (March 1, 2026): “We are defending ourselves whatever it takes, and we see no limit for ourselves to defend our people, to protect our people.”

​France plans to ban children under 15 from social media ‌sites and to prohibit mobile phones in high schools from ​September 2026, local media reported on Wednesday (December 31, 2025), moves that underscore rising public angst over the impact of online harms on minors.

President Emmanuel Macron has often pointed to social media as one of the factors to blame for violence among young people and has signalled he wants France to follow Australia, whose world-first ban for under-16s on social media platforms including Facebook, ​Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube came into force in December.

His government will ⁠submit draft legislation for legal checks in early January, Le Monde and France Info reported.

Mr. Macron did not reference the legislative push in a New Year’s Eve address but he did ​pledge to “protect our children and teenagers ⁠from social media and screens.”

Earlier, the Elysee and the Prime Minister’s office declined to comment on the media reports.

Mobile phones have been banned in French primary and middle schools since 2018 and the reported ‌new changes would extend that ban to high schools. Pupils aged ‌11 to 15 attend middle schools in the French educational system.

France also passed a law in 2023 requiring social ‍platforms to obtain parental consent for under-15s to create accounts, though technical challenges have impeded its enforcement.

Macron wants more action at European Union level

Mr. Macron said ‍in June he would push for regulation at the level of the European Union to ban access to social media for all under-15s after a fatal stabbing at a school in eastern France shocked the nation. The European Parliament in November urged the EU to set minimum ages for children to access social media to combat a rise in mental health problems among adolescents from excessive exposure, although it is member states which impose age limits. Various other ⁠countries have also taken steps to regulate children’s access to social media.

Mr. Macron heads into the New Year with his domestic ​legacy in tatters after his gamble on parliamentary elections in 2024 led to a ⁠hung parliament, triggering France’s worst political crisis in decades that has seen a succession of weak governments.

However, cracking down further on minors’ access to social media could prove popular, according to opinion polls. A Harris Interactive survey in 2024 showed 73% of those ⁠canvassed supporting a ban on social media access for under-15s.