The French National Team Arrives at Bentley: A Photo Essay

Before the French National Team arrived at Bentley, the Dana Center was already transformed. Media risers stood ready, Bentley Falcons and Équipe de France de Football branding lined the entryway, and staff from FIFA and Bentley moved through the quiet space in preparation for a day that would bring a global spotlight to campus.

Across campus, Bentley staff were busy preparing for the team’s arrival — setting up spaces, coordinating logistics and making sure every detail was ready for the first official moments of France’s stay in Waltham. With added security in place and media members arriving from France, across Europe, around the world and closer to home, campus quickly took on the feel of an international event.

French National Team Rolls In

Then, the moment arrived. The team buses pulled onto campus, carrying players, coaches and staff to Bentley for the first time as the French National Team began settling into its World Cup training home.

As the team stepped off the buses, they were welcomed by Bentley University President E. LaBrent Chrite, who greeted players and staff as they arrived on campus. President Chrite and Director of Athletics Vaughn Williams also joined France head coach Didier Deschamps for photos marking the team’s arrival at Bentley.

The brief welcome offered one of the first official moments of the team’s stay, bringing together university leadership and the French delegation before training began.

French National Team Takes the Pitch

Soon after arriving, the French National Team took the field for its first training session at Bentley. It marked the beginning of the team’s preparations in Waltham — and, everyone hopes, the first steps in a long World Cup run.

Along the sidelines, a large media contingent documented the moment, with photographers, broadcast crews and reporters capturing the start of France’s time at Bentley from every angle.

From the quiet preparations inside the Dana Center to the first training session on the field, the day offered a rare look at Bentley’s role in one of the world’s biggest sporting events. As France begins its World Cup journey in Waltham, the campus has become part of a global story — one unfolding just steps from home.