Victor Wembanyama leaves France team after two wins

Victor Wembanyama’s return to France duty has ended after two official matches, with the San Antonio Spurs centre set to miss the national team’s next two qualification windows. His brief campaign nevertheless gave France two wins and allowed the team to build connections for future tournaments.

France defeated Slovenia 92-67 before winning 84-69 in Sweden in the opening matches of the 2027 World Cup qualifying campaign. Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert and Maxime Raynaud are among the NBA players who will not be available in November or February, when the remaining qualification windows take place.

The separation is a setback for Wembanyama, who had not played for France since the 2024 Olympic final. He said returning to a group of long-standing teammates had been especially meaningful, making the early departure difficult. The 21-year-old also found value in taking on a different role and spending time in France and Europe.

His spell with the team was intended to help establish relationships ahead of the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games, rather than only deliver immediate results. The two victories and the work completed with the squad and coaching staff gave France a positive start, even though Wembanyama will now leave the qualification campaign before its final two windows.