October 3, 2026
Türkiye vs France

Türkiye vs France: Result, Highlights & Zidane’s Debut

Türkiye vs France: Result, Score, Highlights, Lineups and Match Details

The highly anticipated Türkiye vs France clash brought together two of Europe’s most recognizable national teams in the opening round of the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League. The match was played on Friday, September 25, 2026, at Kocaeli Stadyumu in Kocaeli, Türkiye.

The game ended 0-0, with neither side able to find the breakthrough. The result gave both teams a point from their opening Nations League match.

For U.S. soccer fans following the matchup, the game was also notable because it marked the beginning of a new era for France, with Zinedine Zidane taking charge of the national team. Türkiye entered the match under longtime coach Vincenzo Montella.

Türkiye vs France Result

The final score in Türkiye vs France was:

Türkiye 0-0 France

Neither team scored during the match, leaving the opening Group A1 fixture level. The game was played at Kocaeli Stadyumu, a venue with a capacity of roughly 35,000 spectators.

The 0-0 result continued a relatively low-scoring recent head-to-head history between the two national teams. Before this meeting, Türkiye and France had played twice in UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying, with Türkiye winning 2-0 at home in June 2019 and the teams drawing 1-1 in France in October 2019.

Türkiye vs France: Match Overview

The fixture was part of UEFA Nations League Group A1, alongside Italy and Belgium.

UEFA’s schedule lists Türkiye’s Group A1 fixtures against France, Italy and Belgium across September, October and November 2026.

The match also represented an important moment for France because Zidane was taking charge of his first competitive game as France manager. The former France midfielder replaced Didier Deschamps and returned to the international stage in one of the most prominent coaching roles in European soccer.

Türkiye, meanwhile, continued under Montella, who has been in charge since 2023 and guided the team to the quarterfinals of Euro 2024.

Türkiye vs France Lineups

Türkiye’s starting lineup included goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır, with Zeki Çelik, Merih Demiral, Abdülkerim Bardakcı and Ferdi Kadıoğlu among the defensive options.

The midfield and attacking group featured Salih Özcan, İsmail Yüksek, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Can Uzun and Arda Güler, with the Real Madrid midfielder among the players attracting significant attention before kickoff.

France’s lineup featured goalkeeper Mike Maignan, while Jules Koundé, Dayot Upamecano and other established defenders formed the back line. The attacking group included Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise and Désiré Doué.

The starting lineups highlighted the contrast between Türkiye’s emerging generation and France’s deep pool of established international talent.

Zinedine Zidane Begins France Era

One of the biggest storylines surrounding Türkiye vs France was Zidane’s first match as France manager.

The former World Cup winner returned to the international spotlight more than three decades after making his France playing debut. Speaking before the match, Zidane described the occasion as highly emotional while emphasizing that the players, rather than the coach, would be the focus.

His appointment added another layer of attention to an already high-profile Nations League fixture.

Türkiye’s Recent Form

Türkiye arrived after an eventful 2026 World Cup campaign.

The team had qualified for the World Cup after a long absence and were drawn into Group D with the United States, Paraguay and Australia. UEFA reported that Türkiye finished fourth in the group.

Before facing France, Türkiye’s recent results included a 3-2 victory over the United States, a 0-1 loss to Paraguay and a 0-2 defeat against Australia at the World Cup. The team had also recorded wins over Kosovo and Romania during World Cup qualifying.

France’s Recent Form

France also entered the Türkiye vs France matchup following a dramatic 2026 World Cup.

The French team reached the later stages of the tournament, defeating Paraguay and Morocco before losing 0-2 to Spain in the semifinal. France then played England in the third-place playoff, losing 4-6.

That recent tournament run provided a strong competitive backdrop for Zidane’s first Nations League match in charge.

Where to Watch Türkiye vs France in the USA

For American viewers, Türkiye vs France was available through Fubo and ViX, according to U.S. broadcast information published ahead of the match.

The match kicked off at 18:45 UTC. That corresponded to 2:45 p.m. ET, 1:45 p.m. CT, 12:45 p.m. MT and 11:45 a.m. PT in the United States.

Fans looking for the next meeting between the two teams should also note that UEFA’s schedule lists France vs Türkiye for November 15, 2026, giving both sides another opportunity to face each other during the Nations League campaign.

Türkiye vs France Head-to-Head

Before the 2026 Nations League meeting, the two nations had met twice in competitive UEFA matches.

Türkiye won the first meeting 2-0 in June 2019, while France and Türkiye drew 1-1 in October 2019. The latest 0-0 draw added another closely contested result to the matchup.

The history shows that Türkiye vs France has produced competitive encounters despite the difference in international reputation between the two sides.

Final Thoughts

The Türkiye vs France match finished 0-0, giving both teams one point in their opening UEFA Nations League Group A1 fixture.

For France, the match marked the beginning of Zidane’s competitive tenure as national-team manager. For Türkiye, it was another major test under Montella against one of Europe’s most established international teams.

With Italy and Belgium also in Group A1, the result leaves plenty of football still to be played. The next France-Türkiye meeting is scheduled for November, while both teams will continue their Nations League campaigns against the other Group A1 opponents.

For U.S. fans searching for Türkiye vs France, the key takeaway is simple: the September 25 meeting ended 0-0, while the next scheduled chapter between these two teams is set for November 15, 2026.

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