Sports

Turkiye vs France – Match preview and team news

Nairavoice · Sep 25, 2026 · 3 min read

Turkiye and France will meet each other for their openingfixture of the UEFA Nations League A on Friday at the Turca Arac Muayene Kocaeli Stadium.

Turkiye vs France – Match preview and team news

Date: Friday, 25th September.
Kick-off: 7:45pm BST.
Venue: Turca Arac Muayene Kocaeli Stadium, Kocaeli.

Turkiye team news

Turkiye enters their UEFA Nations League clash with a heavily depleted squad due to a wave of injuries and suspensions striking Vincenzo Montella’s side.

The hosts will be without influential captain Hakan Calhanoglu and talented forward Kenan Yıldız, both ruled out through injury.

The defensive department is the hardest hit, as Mert Müldür is sidelined with a meniscus injury, while Kaan Ayhan and Çağlar Söyüncü are also unavailable.

Adding to selection headaches, Samet Akaydin serves a suspension, and both Yunus Akgün and Deniz Gül remain late fitness doubts.

On a positive note, centre-back Abdulkerim Bardakcı returns from his own suspension to stabilise the backline.

Despite the defensive crisis, Turkish hopes rest heavily on their young attacking star power. Real Madrid sensation Arda Güler is fully fit and will look to unlock the French defence alongside Kerem Aktürkoğlu in a dynamic frontline.

France team news

France kicks off a highly anticipated new era under new manager Zinedine Zidane, who makes his international competitive debut following Didier Deschamps’ departure.

The biggest boost for Les Bleus is the availability of captain Kylian Mbappé, who has been given the all-clear to lead the line after overcoming flu-like symptoms that disrupted his training earlier in the week.

However, France is not without its own notable absences. Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni misses out with a groin injury, while forwards Marcus Thuram, Hugo Ekitike, and Jean-Philippe Mateta did not travel with the squad.

Zidane has used these absences to usher in a wave of vibrant, youthful talent. Exciting attackers Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola, and Désiré Doué have all been integrated into the 23-man squad and are expected to play major roles providing service and speed right behind Mbappé.

Form

Turkiye

Turkiye enters this opener looking to bounce back from their shock exit in the World Cup. Vincenzo Montella’s team has established an expansive identity, notably capping off their June fixtures with a thrilling 3-2 victory against the United States national team at the World Cup. But before that, they suffered narrow losses to Australia and Paraguay.

France

France transitions into the Zinedine Zidane era after experiencing a rollercoaster summer run under Didier Deschamps. Les Bleus enjoyed a dominant World Cup knockout campaign with clean-sheet triumphs over Sweden, Paraguay, and Morocco, but their journey faltered in a semi-final defeat to Spain and a chaotic 6-4 third-place loss against England. Averaging over two goals per game in recent outings, the team possesses immense firepower but is looking to tighten up a defensive structure that proved unusually leaky in July.