France fined €10,000 for sock strap breach that delayed Belgium kickoff

UEFA fined the French Football Federation €10,000 for a kit regulation breach that delayed kickoff by several minutes in the Belgium match on September 28.

The French Football Federation has been hit with a €10,000 fine by UEFA for a kit compliance issue that delayed the start of the Nations League match between Belgium and France on September 28, which France won 1-0.

The French players arrived late to the pitch because they were wearing socks with the wrong colour straps, a detail the coaching staff failed to verify before the match. UEFA officials rejected the kit and forced the team to change to comply with regulations. According to the Nations League rulebook, associations must submit required equipment information to UEFA's TIME platform in the weeks before each match.

The incident was one of several mishaps during Zinédine Zidane's first camp as France manager. In the previous match in Turkey three days earlier, Zidane missed the opening notes of La Marseillaise after not being briefed on the exact protocol timing by his staff, still adjusting to the role.

France face Italy in Milan on Thursday and Turkey at home in Bordeaux three days later in their final Nations League group matches.