Turkey vs. France Lineups, Preview

Turkey will welcome France to the Kocaeli Stadium on Friday, September 25, as both countries start their 2026-27 UEFA Nations League campaigns. Kickoff is set for 9:45 p.m. local time in Turkey (2:45 p.m. ET in the United States).

For France, this game is very important as it will be the legend Zinedine Zidane’s first match in charge of Les Bleus. The former France captain takes over from Didier Deschamps and starts his tenure with a difficult away test in Group 1, which also features Italy and Belgium.

Turkey have been in good form over their recent run of matches, but they will have to cope without some important players. 

The two countries have not faced each other since 2019. Turkey won that year’s first game 2-0 in Konya, and France held them to a 1-1 draw in Paris several months later.

Turkey vs. France Predicted Lineups

Turkey Lineup

• Goalkeeper: Çakır
• Çelik, Demiral, Bardakcı, Kadıoğlu
• Kökçü, Özcan, Yüksek
• Güler, Yılmaz, Aktürkoğlu

Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Kenan Yıldız are both ruled out with injury. 

France Lineup

• Goalkeeper: Maignan
• Koundé, Upamecano, Lacroix, Truffert
• Rabiot, Camavinga
• Dembele, Doué, Mbappé

France will start the Zidane era without Ibrahima Konaté, who withdrew from the squad with an injury. William Saliba is also unavailable, while Zidane has brought several younger players into his first squad, including Leny Yoro and Jérémy Jacquet.

How to Watch Turkey vs. France (TV Channels & Streaming)