Turkey vs France Lineups September 2026 – France will begin a new era under head coach Zinedine Zidane by facing Turkey in their first UEFA Nations League Group A match.

The match is scheduled to take place at Kocaeli Stadium on Friday, September 25, 2026 at 01:45 WIB, or Friday, September 25, 2026 at 21:45 local time.

Les Bleus finished fourth at the 2026 World Cup after losing to Spain in the semifinals and then to England in the third-place playoff, while Turkey were eliminated in the group stage.

Well, before this match gets underway, let’s take a look at Mansion Sports’ prediction for the Turkey vs France lineups in September 2026 below!

Both Teams’ Conditions Ahead of the Match

Turkey

Turkey appeared at their first World Cup since 2002 this summer, but the tournament proved to be a disappointing one for their national team.

Turkey were eliminated in the group stage after losing to Austria and Paraguay before managing to defeat the United States in their final match.

Vincenzo Montella’s side have now turned their attention to the Nations League and are in League A Group 1 alongside France, Italy, and Belgium.

Turkey played in League C of the Nations League in 2022-23, but returned to League B in 2024-25. Overall, their record in the competition stands at 11 wins, six draws, and seven defeats.

The Crescent-Stars will play consecutive home matches against France and Italy before the end of the month. After that, in October, they will travel to Belgium and Italy.

Turkey have faced France six times previously and have managed just one victory. That win came by a 2-0 scoreline in a European Championship qualifying match in June 2019.

France

The last meeting between the two teams in a European Championship qualifying match in October 2019 ended in a 1-1 draw. Meanwhile, France’s last victory in this fixture came in June 2009.

France are entering a new era under Zidane. The midfield legend has replaced long-serving national team coach Didier Deschamps, who failed to lead France to the World Cup title this summer.

Les Bleus had previously been regarded as one of the favorites at the 2026 tournament, but they were eliminated in the semifinals by eventual champions Spain.

They then lost 6-4 to England in the third-place playoff, meaning the French national team will enter this match on the back of two consecutive defeats.

After this match, France will travel to Belgium before facing Italy on October 2 and Belgium on October 5. Both matches will be played at home.

Les Bleus won the Nations League in 2020-21 after defeating Spain in the final. They then finished third in the 2024-25 edition, which was eventually won by Portugal.

Turkey vs France Lineups September 2026

Turkey (4-3-3)

Regarding the condition of the hosts’ squad, Turkey are without two key players, Hakan Calhanoglu and Kenan Yildiz, who are both sidelined with injuries. However, Real Madrid star Arda Guler is available and is expected to start.

Baris Yilmaz is likely to be trusted in the central position for the hosts. In addition, Kerem Akturkoglu is also expected to earn a place in the final third.

Salih Ozcan could benefit from Calhanoglu’s absence in midfield, while Merih Demiral is expected to feature in defense for Montella’s side.

France (4-2-3-1)

Meanwhile, regarding the condition of France’s squad, they are without several key players during this international break.

William Saliba is injured, while Aurelien Tchouameni’s fitness issues at the start of the season prevented him from being called up.

Ibrahima Konate was also forced to withdraw from the squad after suffering a knee problem. His place was subsequently taken by Manchester United’s Leny Yoro, who received a call-up as a replacement.

Eduardo Camavinga could start in midfield, while Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert could make his second appearance for the French national team as a left-back.

Kylian Mbappe has scored 66 goals for the national team and will once again be relied upon in the final third. Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele, and Desire Doue could also be included in the starting lineup.

The Turkey vs France match will be the opening game for both teams in the UEFA Nations League and will also mark the beginning of a new era for France under Zinedine Zidane.

With several key players absent due to injury and some new names potentially featuring, the clash at Kocaeli Stadium will be an early test for both teams in their journey through League A Group 1.