Türkiye v France: Nations League Preview, Prediction, Team News & H2H

Türkiye v France brings two of Europe’s most talented national teams together in the UEFA Nations League on Friday, 25 September 2026. The Group A1 match takes place at Kocaeli Stadyumu, with kick-off at 20:45 SAST.

The fixture offers a strong opening-night contest between Vincenzo Montella’s Türkiye and a France side beginning a new chapter under Zinedine Zidane. It is also Türkiye’s first match in UEFA Nations League A, adding extra significance to a group that also includes Italy and Belgium.

The match begins a compact Nations League window for both teams. Türkiye host Italy on 28 September before travelling to Belgium and Italy in October, while France travel to Belgium next and then host Italy. For more international and club football coverage, visit the SportPesa South Africa Soccer hub.

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Türkiye completed their final preparations with one important fitness question. Orkun Kökçü missed the final training session because of continuing pain in his toe, while goalkeeper Muhammed Şengezer returned to training after a minor injury.

Montella’s squad still gives Türkiye several attacking options. Arda Güler, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Can Uzun and Yunus Akgün are among the players available, with Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Merih Demiral and Zeki Çelik offering experience in defence.

France arrive with a squad selected by Zidane that includes Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola and Désiré Doué in attack. Eduardo Camavinga, Manu Koné, Adrien Rabiot and Warren Zaïre-Emery give France different midfield combinations, while Mike Maignan is among the goalkeeping options.

The confirmed starting XIs will show whether Türkiye adjust their midfield if Kökçü is unavailable and how Zidane balances France’s range of attacking options.

Türkiye and France have shown that this fixture can be highly competitive. Their two UEFA EURO 2020 qualifying meetings produced a 2-0 Türkiye win in Konya and a 1-1 draw in Paris.

Those results belong to a different cycle for both national teams, so they should not be treated as a direct guide to the 2026 Nations League opener. They do, however, add useful context to a fixture in which Türkiye have previously shown they can frustrate France.

Both teams begin the Nations League campaign on zero points, making current squad condition and the opening group schedule more useful than a league table at this stage. Türkiye are entering League A for the first time, while France begin the competition under a new head coach.

Group A1 also contains Italy and Belgium, leaving little room for a slow start. Türkiye face Italy three days after this match, while France travel to Belgium on the same date. Live form, match-by-match statistics and changing results are better followed through SP Score as the competition develops.

Arda Güler is one of Türkiye’s main creative threats and can influence the game between midfield and attack. Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Barış Alper Yılmaz give Montella additional pace and movement, particularly when Türkiye attack quickly after regaining possession.

France’s attacking options create a different problem. Mbappé can threaten space behind the defence, while Dembélé, Olise, Barcola and Doué can create from wide or central positions. How Türkiye control those movements without leaving gaps elsewhere could become one of the defining tactical battles.

Türkiye v France prediction discussions should take account of more than reputation alone. Türkiye have home advantage in Kocaeli and have previously made this matchup difficult, while France bring greater depth across several positions and multiple ways to attack.

For Türkiye, midfield control and defensive transitions will be crucial, particularly if Kökçü is not available. France will look to create space for Mbappé and their other attacking players while preventing Türkiye from breaking quickly through Güler, Aktürkoğlu and Barış Alper Yılmaz.

Rather than relying on a fixed score prediction, the confirmed lineups, midfield battle, use of wide areas and finishing efficiency provide stronger factors for assessing the match.

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The official Türkiye v France starting lineups will be confirmed closer to kick-off, while the score and match statistics will change throughout the game.

Follow SP Score for the Türkiye v France live score, confirmed lineups, match events, H2H, form and changing statistics.

When is Türkiye v France?

Türkiye v France is scheduled for Friday, 25 September 2026.

What time is Türkiye v France?

Kick-off is at 21:45 local time in Türkiye, which is 20:45 SAST.

Where is Türkiye v France being played?

The match will be played at Kocaeli Stadyumu in Kocaeli, Türkiye.

What competition is Türkiye v France in?

The fixture is part of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League.

What group are Türkiye and France in?

Türkiye and France are in League A Group A1 alongside Italy and Belgium.

Who coaches Türkiye?

Vincenzo Montella is Türkiye’s head coach.

Who coaches France?

Zinedine Zidane is France’s head coach for this Nations League campaign.

Where can I follow the Türkiye v France score and lineups?

SP Score provides live scores, confirmed lineups, match events, H2H, form and changing match statistics.

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Türkiye v France opens UEFA Nations League Group A1 with both teams facing an immediate test in Kocaeli. Türkiye begin their first League A campaign under Montella, while France start the competition under Zidane with considerable attacking depth.

The confirmed lineups, Kökçü’s availability, midfield control and the battle between Türkiye’s transition threat and France’s attacking movement are among the main factors to watch. Kick-off is at 21:45 local time in Türkiye (20:45 SAST).