- Joined
- Sep 30, 2026
- Messages
- 47
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 6
Türkiye in the UEFA Nations League 2026–2027Türkiye’s first campaign in League A of the UEFA Nations League places the team alongside France, Italy and Belgium. The group provides formidable tests and a measure of Türkiye’s ability to compete against leading European national sides.
After two defeats in the opening September matches, attention turned to the October trips to Belgium and Italy, followed by the two November fixtures that conclude the group stage.
Original update: 30 September 2026, after Matchday 2. The standings, squad information and October preview below preserve that dated account.
Update — 14 October 2026: Türkiye subsequently lost 3–0 away to Belgium on 2 October and 3–1 away to Italy on 5 October. After four matches, France had 10 points, Italy seven, Belgium six and Türkiye none. Türkiye had scored twice and conceded 11 goals. Aral Şimşir scored Türkiye’s goal in Bologna in the 61st minute. The federation’s board decided on 9 October not to continue with Vincenzo Montella; TFF published its statement of thanks on 10 October; his name in the original participation profile below refers to the September campaign. The next fixtures are the November games listed in the schedule.
Türkiye and Italy before their match in Bursa on 28 September 2026.
Türkiye’s participation at a glance
| Item | Details at the original update |
|---|---|
| Competition | UEFA Nations League 2026–2027 |
| League and group | League A — Group A1 |
| Opponents | France, Italy and Belgium |
| Head coach in September | Vincenzo Montella |
| Group matches | Six per team: home and away against each opponent |
| Türkiye’s position after two matches | Fourth, with no points |
Group standings after Matchday 2
| Position | Team | Played | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  France | 2 | 6 |
| 2 |  Belgium | 2 | 3 |
| 3 |  Italy | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | Türkiye | 2 | 0 |
Goals scored and conceded:
| Team | Goals for | Goals against | Goal difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 2 | 0 | +2 |
| Belgium | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| Italy | 4 | 3 | +1 |
| Türkiye | 1 | 5 | −4 |
At that stage, Türkiye had four matches and a possible 12 points remaining. It was a difficult start, but the final positions were still undecided, and the next match against Belgium offered a direct opportunity to close the gap on one of the rivals.
What happened in September?
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 25 September 2026 | Türkiye v France | Türkiye lost 0–1 |
| 28 September 2026 | Türkiye v Italy | Türkiye lost 1–4 |
Against France: a narrow defeatKylian Mbappé settled the match at Kocaeli Stadium with a 54th-minute goal. Goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır was sent off in the closing stages, in the 87th minute, following a VAR review for handling the ball outside the penalty area.
Against Italy: a costly defensive startTürkiye conceded three goals in the opening 27 minutes in Bursa. Barış Alper Yılmaz reduced the deficit in the 47th minute, but Italy scored their fourth in the 50th.
Türkiye’s goal came from an Oğuz Aydın pass to Yılmaz in the six-yard box. Italy’s scorers were Bastoni, Frattesi, Kayode and Pio Esposito.
Action from Türkiye’s match against Italy in Bursa.
The remaining schedule as published on 30 September
All times below are in Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.
The October fixtures have since been played; their results appear in the dated update above.
| Date | Match | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 2 October 2026 | Belgium v Türkiye | 21:45 |
| Monday 5 October 2026 | Italy v Türkiye | 21:45 |
| Thursday 12 November 2026 | Türkiye v Belgium | 20:00 |
| Sunday 15 November 2026 | France v Türkiye | 22:45 |
Announced cities and stadiums:
| Match | City | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium v Türkiye | Liège | Maurice Dufrasne |
| Italy v Türkiye | Bologna | Renato Dall’Ara |
| Türkiye v Belgium | İzmir | Gürsel Aksel |
| France v Türkiye | Bordeaux | Atlantique |
Both October fixtures were away from Türkiye. The team then hosts Belgium in İzmir in November before concluding the group in France.
For supporters following from Belgium or Italy, the October matches kicked off at 20:45 local time, corresponding to 21:45 in Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.
How are qualification, survival and relegation decided?
The top two teams in each League A group qualify for the quarter-finals. From there, they compete for places in the four-team final tournament.
For the 2026–2027 edition, survival and relegation also depend on the ranking of teams finishing in equivalent positions across League A’s groups. This prepares the competition for the expansion of League A to 18 teams in 2028–2029.
| Final group position | Outcome |
|---|---|
| First or second | Qualify for the quarter-finals. |
| Third, among the two highest-ranked third-placed teams in League A | Remain in League A. |
| Third, among the two lowest-ranked third-placed teams | Contest a League A/B play-off. |
| Fourth, among the two highest-ranked fourth-placed teams in League A | Contest a League A/B play-off. |
| Fourth, among the two lowest-ranked fourth-placed teams | Relegated to League B. |
Every point therefore matters even outside the race for the top two. The ranking across different groups can determine whether a side stays up directly or enters a play-off.
The quarter-finals and League A/B play-offs are scheduled for 25–30 March 2027.
Notable names in the squad for this period
Türkiye’s squad brought together players from the domestic league and European clubs, alongside representation from the Saudi league.
| Player | Club in the September squad list |
|---|---|
| Arda Güler | Real Madrid |
| Barış Alper Yılmaz | Galatasaray |
| Kerem Aktürkoğlu | Fenerbahçe |
| Can Uzun | Eintracht Frankfurt |
| Ferdi Kadıoğlu | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| Merih Demiral | Al-Ahli, Saudi Arabia |
These are selected squad members, rather than a predicted starting XI. Selection varies with fitness and the game plan.
Squad update — 30 September:
Orkun Kökçü’s withdrawal was announced after the pain in his toe increased following the Italy match. He was to continue treatment with his club.
Tactical assessment ahead of the October matches
The following preserves the original analysis of the first two matches. It is not an announcement of the coaching staff’s intended tactics.
| Area | What needed to improve? |
|---|---|
| The start of the match | Avoid conceding several goals in quick succession early on, as happened against Italy. |
| Finishing | Make more of the chances: Türkiye scored once in the opening two matches. |
| The response after scoring | Maintain concentration after reducing the deficit: Italy’s fourth goal came three minutes after Türkiye’s goal. |
| Midfield balance | Compensate for Kökçü’s absence while maintaining the connection between building attacks and protecting the defence. |
The challenge in Liège and Bologna was to produce a more consistent performance throughout the match. Picking up points away from home would have improved Türkiye’s position before hosting Belgium in İzmir, instead of increasing the pressure going into Matchday 5.
Türkiye train on 30 September in preparation for the Belgium match.
Following the matches
TFF listed atv as the broadcaster for the October matches against Belgium and Italy in its published programme.
For viewers in Saudi Arabia, both matches were scheduled for 21:45. Online viewing from outside Türkiye depends on service availability and broadcasting rights in the country where you watch.
For supporters planning to attend:
The next match in Türkiye is against Belgium in İzmir on 12 November. Check the ticket sales announcement and entry conditions when released. Do not assume that club-match ticket arrangements automatically apply to national-team fixtures.
Join the discussion
Looking back at the opening two matches, which change did Türkiye most need before the October fixtures: better defensive organisation, improved midfield balance or more clinical finishing?
Related topics 
Türkiye’s National Football Teams: Senior, Olympic and Youth Competitions-
Türkiye Under-21: Play-off Qualification and the Road to EURO 2027 - Türkiye Women 2026: Slovenia Play-off and the Road to the 2027 World Cup
-
Turkish Players in Europe 2026–2027: Clubs, Roles and Season Profiles -
Arda Güler at Real Madrid 2026–2027: Statistics, Tactical Role and His European Breakthrough - Türkiye at the 2026 World Cup: A Return After 24 Years and a Group-stage Exit
- Türkiye Part Ways with Montella: The October Decision and the National Team’s 2026
- Turkish Süper Lig 2026–2027: Clubs, Competition Format and Season Dates
-
Attending Football Matches in Türkiye: Tickets, Passolig and Stadium Entry
Last edited by a moderator:
مباراتان لاستكمال المجموعة
تغيير الجهاز الفني