Match Information

Sport: Football

Match: Türkiye vs France

Tournament: UEFA Nations League 2026/27 – League A, Group A1

Date: Friday, September 25, 2026

Kick-off: 8:45 PM local time

Venue: Kocaeli Stadium, İzmit / Kocaeli, Türkiye

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France begin the Zinedine Zidane era with a difficult Nations League trip to Türkiye on Friday, as Les Bleus open their Group A1 campaign at Kocaeli Stadium. Zidane's first competitive match as France coach comes in a hostile away environment against Vincenzo Montella's Türkiye, who will be looking for a response after their group-stage exit at the 2026 World Cup.

France have the deeper squad. Türkiye have the crowd. But with Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Kenan Yıldız among the home side's major absentees, Montella must find a way to bridge the quality gap without two of his most influential players.

Form, Trends, Key Facts, Stats & Team News

The post-World Cup cycle begins with one of the biggest changes France have made in years. Zinedine Zidane has succeeded Didier Deschamps, taking charge of a squad still packed with elite-level talent and expected to challenge for every major international trophy. His competitive debut should offer an early indication of how much France will change.

The expectation is that Les Bleus will try to control possession while retaining the speed and directness that makes their attack so dangerous. And there is still one obvious focal point. Kylian Mbappé is expected to captain France, leading an attacking unit that can also call upon Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise. That combination of pace, creativity and one-on-one ability could prove particularly difficult for Türkiye if the hosts are forced to chase the game.

France do have defensive absences. William Saliba and Ibrahima Konaté are unavailable, while Théo Hernández has also been listed among the potential absentees. Even so, Zidane retains experienced defensive options including Jules Koundé and Dayot Upamecano, with Mike Maignan providing security in goal.

Türkiye's selection problems could have an even greater impact. Captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu is unavailable, removing the team's main source of midfield control, set-piece quality and long-range threat. Kenan Yıldız is another significant absentee, while Mert Müldür is also ruled out. That places even more creative responsibility on Arda Güler. The young playmaker has the technical quality to unlock France's defence, but Les Bleus can now devote more attention to limiting his influence without Çalhanoğlu and Yıldız demanding the same level of attention elsewhere. Kerem Aktürkoğlu should also be important, particularly if Türkiye can win possession and break quickly.

Montella is unlikely to want an open contest. Türkiye's best route may be to keep their shape compact, use the energy of the Kocaeli crowd and attack through transitions rather than attempting to match France for possession.

There is precedent for Türkiye making home advantage count. They defeated France 2-0 on home soil during Euro 2020 qualifying in 2019, a reminder that Les Bleus cannot expect their individual quality alone to make this straightforward. Overall, however, the H2H favours the visitors, with France winning four of the six previous meetings.

The wider group context also matters. With Italy and Belgium completing Group A1, dropped points could quickly become expensive. France will see this as an opportunity to establish themselves immediately, while Türkiye need to prevent a difficult opening fixture from becoming a damaging one.

The home crowd can make the evening uncomfortable. France's challenge is to make sure their football eventually makes the difference.

Key Facts

• 🇫🇷 Zinedine Zidane takes charge of France for his first competitive match.

• 🇹🇷 Vincenzo Montella remains in charge of Türkiye after the World Cup.

• ❌ Türkiye are without captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu.

• 🚑 Kenan Yıldız and Mert Müldür are also unavailable for the hosts.

• 🎨 Arda Güler becomes even more important to Türkiye's attacking creativity.

• ⭐ Kylian Mbappé is expected to captain France.

• ⚡ Dembélé and Michael Olise give Les Bleus further attacking quality.

• 🩹 France are without defenders William Saliba and Ibrahima Konaté.

• 📊 France have won four of the six previous meetings between the nations.

• 🇹🇷 Türkiye beat France 2-0 at home in Euro qualifying in 2019.

• ⚔️ Italy and Belgium complete a highly competitive Group A1.

Pro Tip Before You Start

Kocaeli should provide Türkiye with plenty of energy, but their absences are difficult to ignore. Missing Çalhanoğlu and Yıldız removes two major sources of creativity against a French squad with significantly greater depth.

France have defensive players missing too, but with Mbappé, Dembélé and Olise available in attack, Zidane has enough quality to begin his tenure with three points.

👉 Expert Tip: France to Win (1.43)

Alternative Markets

• France to Win & Under 3.5 Goals (2.62)

• France Double Chance (1.11)

• Under 3.5 Goals (1.68)

• France to Score First (1.37)

• Kylian Mbappé Anytime Goalscorer (1.55)

Türkiye have the crowd. France have the deeper arsenal. For Zidane, the road with Les Bleus begins in Kocaeli – and the first test comes with three Nations League points attached.

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