diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/56353-file-extend-absent-diff-result.yml b/changelogs/fragments/56353-file-extend-absent-diff-result.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4cbc2b74537
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/56353-file-extend-absent-diff-result.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+minor_changes:
+  - file - Extend ``-diff`` to return list of files and folders that will be removed in case of ``state=absent`` (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/56353)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py b/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py
index 7794d4c2720..28134da148e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py
@@ -367,6 +367,21 @@ def initial_diff(path, state, prev_state):
     if prev_state != state:
         diff['before']['state'] = prev_state
         diff['after']['state'] = state
+        if state == 'absent':
+            walklist = {
+                'directories': [],
+                'files': [],
+            }
+            for base_path, sub_folders, files in os.walk(path):
+                for folder in sub_folders:
+                    folderpath = os.path.join(base_path, folder)
+                    walklist['directories'].append(folderpath)
+
+                for filename in files:
+                    filepath = os.path.join(base_path, filename)
+                    walklist['files'].append(filepath)
+
+            diff['before']['path_content'] = walklist
 
     return diff
 
@@ -481,6 +496,8 @@ def ensure_absent(path):
     result = {}
 
     if prev_state != 'absent':
+        diff = initial_diff(path, 'absent', prev_state)
+
         if not module.check_mode:
             if prev_state == 'directory':
                 try:
@@ -495,7 +512,6 @@ def ensure_absent(path):
                         raise AnsibleModuleError(results={'msg': "unlinking failed: %s " % to_native(e),
                                                           'path': path})
 
-        diff = initial_diff(path, 'absent', prev_state)
         result.update({'path': path, 'changed': True, 'diff': diff, 'state': 'absent'})
     else:
         result.update({'path': path, 'changed': False, 'state': 'absent'})
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml
index 2c473329d27..6c03f5a8ab6 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@
   when: selinux_installed.stdout != ""
   ignore_errors: true
 
-- name: remote directory foobar
+- name: remove directory foobar
   file: path={{output_dir}}/foobar state=absent
 
 - name: remove file foo.txt
@@ -258,6 +258,24 @@
 - name: copy directory structure over
   copy: src=foobar dest={{output_dir}}
 
+- name: check what would be removed if folder state was absent and diff is enabled
+  file: 
+    path: "{{ output_dir }}"
+    state: absent
+  check_mode: yes
+  diff: yes
+  register: folder_absent_result
+
+- name: assert that the absent check lists expected files and folders
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - folder_absent_result.diff.before.path_content is defined
+      - test_folder in folder_absent_result.diff.before.path_content.directories
+      - test_file in folder_absent_result.diff.before.path_content.files
+  vars:
+    test_folder: "{{ folder_absent_result.path }}/foobar"
+    test_file: "{{ folder_absent_result.path }}/foobar/fileA"
+
 - name: Change ownership of a directory with recurse=no(default)
   file: path={{output_dir}}/foobar owner=1234