The National Team 2026–27 UEFA Nations League League A Group 1 Matches

Turkey National Team Matches in Group 1 of the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League A is the official sporting organization process encompassing the matches of the Turkey national football team against the national teams of France, Italy, and Belgium in Group 1 of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League A, along with the selection of the provisional squad, training schedule, travel arrangements, and match calendar. A 29-player provisional squad has been named by the technical staff, and the training program along with stadium and broadcast arrangements have been announced.

The UEFA Nations League was introduced in 2018 to replace friendly matches in the international calendar and to ensure that national teams compete against opponents of balanced strength. It involves all 55 member associations of UEFA. The tournament is structured around a hierarchical league system with promotion and relegation. In its inaugural season, Leagues A and B each had 12 teams, League C had 14 teams, and League D had 16 teams. Subsequent updates expanded Leagues A, B, and C to 16 teams each, while League D was reduced in size. Portugal won the first edition of the tournament in 2018/19, followed by France in 2020/21, Spain in 2022/23, and Portugal again in 2024/25. UEFA also operates a similar Nations League competition for women’s football.

The 2026/27 season marks the fifth edition of the UEFA Nations League. The format for this season aims to transition toward a three-league system with 18 teams per league by the 2028/29 edition. In the 2026/27 League A structure, the eight teams finishing in the top two positions of their groups advance to the quarterfinals. The two lowest-ranked teams finishing fourth in their groups are directly relegated to League B. The two highest-ranked third-placed teams remain in League A, while the two lowest-ranked third-placed teams and the two highest-ranked fourth-placed teams enter the League A/B play-offs against the second-placed teams from League B.

The Nations League matches are directly linked to the qualification processes for the UEFA European Championship and the FIFA World Cup. Although the tournament does not grant direct qualification, it provides additional play-off spots for teams in the qualifying rounds. The results of the 2026/27 season are expected to determine play-off eligibility for the UEFA EURO 2028 qualifiers, which will be hosted by the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

The league phase of the 2026/27 season begins during the extended international match window from 24 September to 6 October 2026. During this period, teams play four consecutive league matches. The fifth and sixth matches of the league phase are completed between 12 and 17 November 2026. The League A quarterfinals and the League A/B and League B/C play-offs will take place from 25 to 30 March 2027, while the final tournament will be held from 9 to 13 June 2027.

The draw for Group 1 of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League A was held in Brussels. The group consists of France, Italy, Belgium, and Türkiye. Each team plays two matches against every other team in the group, one at home and one away. The two top-ranked teams in Group 1 of League A qualify for the quarterfinal stage of the competition.

A 29-player provisional squad has been selected and announced by Turkey National Team head coach Vincenzo Montella. For the first time, İlhan Fakılı from Beşiktaş, Bartuğ Elmaz from Fenerbahçe, Adil Demirbağ from Konyaspor, and Melih Kabasakal from Trabzonspor have been called up to the provisional squad.

The provisional squad is organized by position, club, date of birth, number of appearances for the national team, and goals scored as follows:

• Goalkeepers: Altay Bayındır, Muhammed Şengezer, Okan Kocuk, Uğurcan Çakır.
• Defenders: Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Adil Demirbağ, Emirhan Topçu, Eren Elmalı, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Merih Demiral, Ozan Kabak, Samet Akaydin, Zeki Çelik.
• Midfielders: Bartuğ Elmaz, Demir Ege Tıknaz, İsmail Yüksek, Melih Kabasakal, Orkun Kökçü, Salih Özcan.
• Forwards: Aral Şimşir, Arda Güler, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Can Uzun, Deniz Gül, İlhan Fakılı, İrfan Can Kahveci, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Oğuz Aydın, Yunus Akgün.

The players of the Turkey National Team gathered at the Hasan Doğan National Teams Training and Education Facility in Riva, operated by the Turkish Football Federation, on Monday 21 September at 12:00. The team conducted its first training session on the same day at 18:00, with the first 15 minutes open to the media.

The daily training schedule for the Turkey National Team is as follows:

• 21 September Monday: Training at 18:00 (Riva, 15 minutes open to media).
• 22 September Tuesday: Training at 17:00 (Riva, closed to media).
• 23 September Wednesday: Training at 17:00 (Riva, closed to media).
• 24 September Thursday: Training at 16:00 (Riva, 15 minutes open to media).
• 26 September Saturday: Training at 17:00 (Riva, closed to media).
• 27 September Sunday: Training at 11:15 (Riva, 15 minutes open to media).
• 29 September Tuesday: Training at 17:00 (Riva, closed to media).
• 30 September Wednesday: Training at 17:00 (Riva, closed to media).
• 1 October Thursday: Training at 11:15 (Riva, 15 minutes open to media).
• 3 October Saturday: Training at 11:15 (TSI 12:15) (SL16 Football Campus / Académie Robert Louis-Dreyfus, closed to media).
• 4 October Sunday: Training at 11:15 (TSI 12:15) (SL16 Football Campus / Académie Robert Louis-Dreyfus, 15 minutes open to media).

The dates, kickoff times, venues, and broadcast partners for the first four matches of the Turkey National Team in Group 1 of the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League A have been confirmed. All matches will be broadcast live on the atv channel.

Details of the first four group matches are as follows:

• Türkiye vs France: Friday 25 September 2026 at 21:45 at Kocaeli Stadium (Kocaeli / Türkiye).
• Türkiye vs Italy: Monday 28 September 2026 at 21:45 at Yüzüncü Yıl Atatürk Stadium (Bursa / Türkiye).
• Belgium vs Türkiye: Friday 2 October 2026 at 20:45 local time (21:45 Türkiye time) at Maurice Dufrasne Stadium (Liège / Belgium).
• Italy vs Türkiye: Monday 5 October 2026 at 20:45 local time (21:45 Türkiye time) at Renato Dall'Ara Stadium (Bologna / Italy).

The ground and air travel schedule for the Turkey National Team is planned as follows:

• 24 September 2026 Thursday: Departure by bus from Istanbul to Kocaeli at 19:45, arrival at 21:00.
• 27 September 2026 Sunday: Departure by bus from Istanbul to Bursa at 15:00, arrival at 17:00.
• 1 October 2026 Thursday: Flight from Istanbul (IST) to Liège (LGG) at 15:30, arrival at 18:00 local time.
• 4 October 2026 Sunday: Flight from Liège (LGG) to Bologna (BLQ) at 16:30, arrival at 18:30 local time.
• 6 October 2026 Tuesday: Return flight from Bologna (BLQ) to Istanbul (IST) at 00:45, arrival at 04:25 local time.

The press conferences and pitch walk-throughs scheduled before each match will take place as follows:

• 24 September Thursday: Press conference at 20:15 at Kocaeli Stadium. Pitch walk-through open to media at 21:00 at Kocaeli Stadium.
• 27 September Sunday: Pitch walk-through open to media at 17:30 at Yüzüncü Yıl Atatürk Stadium. Press conference at 19:45 at Yüzüncü Yıl Atatürk Stadium.
• 1 October Thursday: Pitch walk-through open to media at 18:30 (TSI 19:30) at Maurice Dufrasne Stadium.
• 4 October Sunday: Pitch walk-through open to media at 18:30 (TSI 19:30) at Renato Dall'Ara Stadium.

^{First Match: Türkiye - France (AA)}

The first match of UEFA Nations League Group 1 will be a football contest between the Türkiye national football team and the France national football team at the Kocaeli Stadium. This match will mark Türkiye’s first-ever appearance in the UEFA Nations League.

The match, scheduled to kick off at 21:45 at the Kocaeli Stadium, will be broadcast live on ATV. German referee Felix Zwayer will officiate the match. His assistant referees will be Robert Kempter and Nikolai Kimmeyer, both from Germany, while Florian Badstübner will serve as the fourth official. In the other match of UEFA Nations League Group 1, Italy and Belgium will face each other at the same time in Rome. Türkiye will play its second group match against Italy on 28 September in Bursa.

The match against France will be the 655th official match in the 103-year history of the Türkiye national football team. The Stars-and-Crescent team has played 654 matches previously, of which 365 were official and 289 were friendly. In these matches, they have recorded 260 wins, including one default win, 151 draws, and 243 losses. Of the matches played, 279 were away, 281 were within Türkiye’s borders, and 94 were neutral venues. The team has scored a total of 906 goals and conceded 932.

Throughout its history, Türkiye has faced 93 different national teams: 564 matches against European teams, 34 against Asian teams, 28 against American teams, 24 against African teams, and 4 against Oceanian teams. Türkiye’s only official win by default occurred after a friendly match against Greece on 17 November 2015 ended 0-0; FIFA awarded Türkiye a 3-0 victory due to Greece fielding an ineligible player. The friendly match against Kosovo on 21 May 2014, which Türkiye won 6-1 away, was not recognized as official because Kosovo was not yet a member of UEFA or FIFA at the time. This will be Türkiye’s third match at the Kocaeli Stadium.

With this UEFA Nations League encounter, Türkiye and France will meet for the seventh time in their history. Of the six previous matches, three were official and three were friendlies. France has won four of these matches, Türkiye has won one, and one ended in a draw. France holds a 13-5 advantage in goals scored.

The first meeting between the two national teams took place on 9 June 1996 at the Parc des Princes in Paris, where France won the friendly 4-0. The teams met again in a friendly in Istanbul on 15 November 2000, with France winning 4-0. On 26 June 2003, in Paris, France defeated Türkiye 3-2 in an official match during the Confederations Cup. France won the friendly in Lyon on 5 June 2009 by a 1-0 scoreline. Türkiye secured its only victory against France on 8 June 2019 in Konya, winning 2-0 in a UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying match. The most recent encounter occurred on 14 October 2019 in Paris, ending 1-1 in a Euro 2020 qualifier after goals from Olivier Giroud and Kaan Ayhan. Additionally, the Türkiye national team played two matches against the France B team under the Mediterranean Cup: a 0-0 draw in Istanbul on 3 April 1955 and a 3-1 defeat in Paris on 25 December 1955.

Under head coach Vincenzo Montella, the Stars-and-Crescent team has played 36 matches, 27 official and 9 friendly, recording 21 wins, 10 losses, and 5 draws. They have scored 64 goals and conceded 46. Under Montella, Türkiye topped their UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying group to qualify for the tournament, then participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup but exited in the group stage. After advancing to the finals by defeating Kosovo 1-0 in the World Cup play-off final, Türkiye lost 2-0 to Australia and 1-0 to Paraguay in the group stage, but defeated the United States 3-2.

^{National Football Team Head Coach Vincenzo Montella (AA)}

There are injuries in the Türkiye squad ahead of the France match. Team captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Kenan Yıldız, and Mert Müldür are not included in the provisional squad due to injury. Orkun Kökçü, who is undergoing treatment for foot pain and has missed training sessions this week, remains in the squad but will not play against France. Head coach Vincenzo Montella stated that he has full confidence in all players in the squad and aims to implement his football philosophy at the start of this new era. Montella highlighted France’s high-quality squad and noted that the team is gaining momentum under Zinedine Zidane. The Italian coach expressed satisfaction at facing Zidane, whom he played against in the UEFA Euro 2000 final, now as a rival manager. National team player Salih Özcan said the team seeks to start a new chapter after the World Cup and emphasized the need for defensive caution against France’s attacking line.

The 30-player provisional squad for the match includes goalkeepers Altay Bayındır (Celta Vigo), Muhammed Şengezer (RAMS Başakşehir), Okan Kocuk, and Uğurcan Çakır (Galatasaray). The defensive line features Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Eren Elmalı (Galatasaray), Adil Demirbağ (TÜMOSAN Konyaspor), Emirhan Topçu (Beşiktaş), Ferdi Kadıoğlu (Brighton), Merih Demiral (Al Ahli), Ozan Kabak (Hoffenheim), Samet Akaydin, Mustafa Eskihellaç (Trabzonspor), and Zeki Çelik (Juventus). In midfield, the players are İsmail Yüksek, Bartuğ Elmaz (Fenerbahçe), Demir Ege Tıknaz (Braga), Melih Kabasakal (Trabzonspor), Orkun Kökçü, and Salih Özcan (Beşiktaş).

The France national team finished fourth in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after reaching the semifinals. France lost to Spain in the semifinal and to England in the third-place match. Following the tournament, France parted ways with head coach Didier Deschamps and appointed Zinedine Zidane as their new head coach. This will be Zidane’s first official match as France’s head coach, against Türkiye.

^{France National Team Head Coach Zinedine Zidane (AA)}

At the press conference held at the Kocaeli Stadium, Zinedine Zidane described Türkiye as a strong team that qualified for the last World Cup and noted that their early exit from the group stage was unexpected. He added that the match will be challenging. Zidane expressed satisfaction that Turkish player Arda Güler plays for Real Madrid and praised his talent. The French coach affirmed his trust in the young players called up to the squad and emphasized that their sole objective is to win. French midfielder Adrien Rabiot stated that under Zidane, the full-backs are more involved in attack, that France aims to finish top of the Nations League, and that they are aware of the atmosphere Turkish fans will create.

France’s 23-player provisional squad includes goalkeepers Mike Maignan (Milan), Guillaume Restes (Toulouse), and Robin Risser (Lens). The defensive line consists of Andy Diouf (Inter), Jeremy Jacquet (Liverpool), Pierre Kalulu (Juventus), Ibrahima Konate (Real Madrid), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Maxence Lacroix (Chelsea), Adrien Truffert (Bournemouth), and Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich). In midfield are Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Lucas Da Cunha (Como), Manu Kone (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (Milan), and Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG). The forward line features Bradley Barcola (Liverpool), Ousmane Dembele (PSG), Desire Doue (PSG), Esteban Lepaul (Rennes), Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), and Michael Olise (Bayern Munich).

The Türkiye national football team hosted the France national football team at the Kocaeli Stadium in their opening match of UEFA Nations League League A Group 1, marking the first time Türkiye competed in this competition. The first half ended in a 0-0 draw, with France securing a 1-0 victory after Kylian Mbappé scored in the 54th minute. In the 87th minute, Türkiye’s goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır was sent off with a direct red card following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review for handling the ball outside the penalty area. The match was watched from the stands by Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. Osman Aşkın Bak, President of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) İbrahim Ethem Hacıosmanoğlu, and members of the TFF Executive Board.

The match at Kocaeli Stadium was officiated by German referee Felix Zwayer, with assistants Robert Kempter and Nikolai Kimmeyer.

Türkiye’s starting eleven consisted of Uğurcan Çakır, Zeki Çelik, Merih Demiral, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Salih Özcan, İsmail Yüksek, Arda Güler, Oğuz Aydın, Can Uzun and Barış Alper Yılmaz. On the Türkiye bench were Altay Bayındır, Okan Kocuk, Emirhan Topçu, Melih Kabasakal, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Deniz Gül, Eren Elmalı, Ozan Kabak, İrfan Can Kahveci, Yunus Akgün and Aral Şimşir.

France’s starting eleven, under head coach Zinedine Zidane in his first match in charge, featured Maignan, Kounde, Upamecano, Lacroix, Truffert, Rabiot, Kone, Dembele, Cherki, Olise and Mbappé. Substitutes Desire Doue, Camavinga, Barcola and Lepaul entered the match later for France.

Before the match, a large Turkish flag was unfurled on the Hodri Meydan stand of Kocaeli Stadium, and the stands were completely filled hours before kickoff. A minute’s silence was observed in memory of Ebubekir Uçar, the TFF Stadium Security Unit Coordinator who passed away in August, and Tolga Kalender, the Bandırmaspor footballer who died on 23 September. The national team players wore shirts bearing Uçar’s photograph during the warm-up and donned black armbands during the match. Photographs of both deceased individuals were displayed on the stadium screens. Additionally, TFF President İbrahim Ethem Hacıosmanoğlu presented a number 1 national team jersey, signed by all team players, to goalkeeper Mert Günok, who announced his retirement from international football. In addition to Orkun Kökçü, who was undergoing treatment, Muhammed Şengezer, Samet Akaydın, Adil Demirbağ, Mustafa Eskihellaç, Bartuğ Elmaz, Kenan Yıldız, Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Mert Müldür were unavailable for the match due to various reasons and injuries. Melih Kabasakal of Trabzonspor was called up to the senior national team squad for the first time in his career and included in the match roster.

The first dangerous attack came in the 17th minute from France: Olise received the ball on the right flank, crossed into the penalty area and laid it off to Mbappé, whose shot narrowly missed the goal and went out for a corner. In the 27th minute, Türkiye launched a swift counterattack; Oğuz Aydın delivered a pass from the right flank to Barış Alper Yılmaz inside the penalty area, but the French defense intervened to clear the danger. In the 28th minute, Arda Güler sent a cross from the right flank into the penalty area, where Can Uzun headed the ball with his back to goal, but goalkeeper Maignan controlled it. In the 31st minute, referee Felix Zwayer allowed play to continue after Barış Alper Yılmaz went down in the penalty area. In the 33rd minute, Barış Alper Yılmaz had to leave the field to change his shirt after it was torn during a challenge with Upamecano. In the 41st minute, during a French attack, Kone received a pass from Olise inside the penalty area and laid it off to Cherki, whose close-range shot was blocked by Merih Demiral sliding in to prevent a goal. In the 42nd minute, Arda Güler of Türkiye received a yellow card. In the 43rd minute, Olise struck a powerful shot from outside the penalty area after evading Can Uzun, and goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır tipped the ball onto the post for a corner. The first half ended 0-0.

In the 49th minute, a free kick awarded after Arda Güler was fouled saw his direct shot strike the crossbar and rebound off the post into a corner. In the 50th minute, from a corner kick, Arda Güler’s delivery into the penalty area was met by İsmail Yüksek’s header, which goalkeeper Maignan barely managed to push onto the post. In the 54th minute, France took the lead: Olise’s pass found Mbappé on the left side of the penalty area as the defense struggled to close him down; Mbappé steadied the ball and fired a powerful shot into the net (0-1). Shortly after scoring, Mbappé suffered an injury, remained on the field briefly after treatment, but was substituted in the 59th minute by Desire Doue after he collapsed again in the 58th minute. In the 68th minute, Salih Özcan received a yellow card for stepping on an opponent’s foot. In the 69th minute, Kounde’s shot from the right flank after receiving a pass from Olise narrowly went out for a corner. In the 72nd minute, Upamecano of France was shown a yellow card. In the 74th minute, Arda Güler controlled a ball that France’s defense failed to clear and fired a powerful shot from the left diagonal inside the penalty area, but goalkeeper Maignan tipped it onto the post. In the 75th minute, Türkiye head coach Vincenzo Montella made his first substitutions: Oğuz Aydın and Can Uzun were replaced by Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Eren Elmalı. In the 76th minute, Zeki Çelik’s cross from the right flank was met by Abdülkerim Bardakcı’s overhead kick, which went over the crossbar. In the 78th minute, Cherki and Olise were substituted out for France, replaced by Camavinga and Barcola. In the 84th minute, a deep pass from midfield found Barcola one-on-one with the goalkeeper; Uğurcan Çakır left his goal to block the shot. Following the incident, referee Felix Zwayer reviewed the play via VAR and determined that Uğurcan Çakır had handled the ball outside the penalty area, issuing a direct red card in the 87th minute. Immediately after the red card, goalkeeper Altay Bayındır replaced Barış Alper Yılmaz in the 88th minute. In the same minute, Melih Kabasakal, who replaced İsmail Yüksek, made his debut for the Türkiye national team. In the 90th minute, Dembele was replaced by Lepaul for France. In stoppage time (90+3), Deniz Gül replaced Ferdi Kadıoğlu, and Kone and Lepaul of France received yellow cards. The match ended with France winning 1-0.

At the post-match press conference, Türkiye head coach Vincenzo Montella stated that the team delivered one of its best physical and mental performances, showing great determination, but expressed disappointment with the result. He noted that the pitch conditions and the opponent’s pressure affected their game plan, and that they conceded from a small mistake, but praised his players’ effort.

France head coach Zinedine Zidane described the match as competitive and criticized the pitch conditions. He said France had prepared specifically to counter Türkiye’s three-man defense through wide play and expressed satisfaction with the victory. He also confirmed that Mbappé was experiencing pain in his knee and would leave the team for treatment. Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. Osman Aşkın Bak acknowledged the team’s shortcomings but commended their strong performance, noting that the loss came from a simple error, and thanked the Kocaeli fans for their support. He added that the President of Türkiye had called the players during the match to congratulate them and emphasized the importance of transportation and infrastructure investments in Kocaeli. National team player Arda Güler thanked the fans, stating that the team gave their all to win and would now focus on upcoming matches in the group.

With this match, Türkiye’s national football team has played France nine times in history (six official, three friendly), suffering their sixth defeat (one win, two draws; 6 goals scored, 17 conceded). This match was also Türkiye’s 655th international fixture (260 wins, 151 draws, 244 losses; 906 goals scored, 933 conceded). In the other match in UEFA Nations League League A Group 1, Belgium defeated Italy 2-0 away. After the opening matches, Belgium leads the group with three points and a +2 goal difference, followed by France with three points and a +1 goal difference; Türkiye is third with zero points and a -1 goal difference, while Italy is fourth with zero points and a -2 goal difference. Türkiye will host Italy on Monday, 28 September at the Bursa Yüzüncü Yıl Atatürk Stadium in their second group match, while France will travel to Belgium.

^{Türkiye - İtalya maçı infografisi (AA)}

The second match of Türkiye's national football team in Group 1 of the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League A will be played on 28 September 2026 in Bursa between the national teams of Türkiye and Italy. The match will kick off at 21:45 Türkiye time at the Yüzüncü Yıl Atatürk Stadium. This fixture represents a critical stage in the first two weeks of the group schedule due to its implications for the standings and the positioning of both teams in the competition.

The organizational preparations for the match at Bursa Yüzüncü Yıl Atatürk Stadium have been completed under the supervision of technical teams. The game will be broadcast live on the ATV channel in accordance with broadcasting rights. The refereeing team for the match has been appointed by the English Football Association. Michael Oliver will serve as the central referee. His assistant referees will be Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring, both also from England. Darren England has been appointed as the fourth official.

In the Group 1 matches of the UEFA Nations League A, both teams left their opening fixtures without points. Türkiye's national team lost 1–0 to France in their first group match. Italy's national team suffered a 2–0 defeat against Belgium at home. The other group match will be played on the same day and at the same time in Brussels between Belgium and France. Türkiye will play their third group match away against Belgium on 2 October 2026, while both teams will face each other in their fourth Nations League match on 5 October 2026 in Bologna.

With this match against Italy, Türkiye's national football team will play its 656th match in its 103-year history. In the previous 655 matches, the star-and-crescent team has played 366 official and 289 unofficial games. These matches have yielded 260 victories, including one awarded by default, 151 draws, and 244 defeats. The national team has scored a total of 906 goals while conceding 933 goals.

Analyzing the venue distribution, Türkiye has played 279 of its 655 matches away, 282 within its national borders, and 94 on neutral grounds, with three matches awarded as default victories. To date, Türkiye has faced 93 different national teams. Of these matches, 565 were against teams from European confederations, 34 from Asian, 24 from African, 28 from American, and 4 from Oceanian confederations.

The national team's historical records also include matches with special status. The unofficial match between Türkiye and Greece on 17 November 2015 at the Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadium ended in a 0–0 draw on the pitch. Six months later, FIFA awarded Türkiye a 3–0 default victory due to Greece fielding an ineligible player. On the other hand, the unofficial match between Türkiye and Kosovo on 21 May 2014, which Türkiye won 6–1 away, has not been included in official statistical records because Kosovo was not yet a member of UEFA or FIFA at that time.

This match marks the 11th meeting between the senior national teams of Türkiye and Italy. Of the previous 10 encounters, Italy has won six, while four ended in draws. Italy has scored a total of 15 goals in these matches, while Türkiye has scored six. Türkiye's national team has yet to record a victory against Italy at senior international level.

When matches involving B teams are included, the overall head-to-head record between the two nations spans 16 matches. In this broader context, Türkiye has recorded five draws and 11 defeats, scoring 10 goals while conceding 29. Türkiye's heaviest defeat against Italy occurred on 2 December 1962 in Bologna during the European Championship qualifiers, when Italy won 6–0. The two teams last met on 4 June 2024 in a friendly in Bologna, ending in a 0–0 draw.

The chronological list of all matches played between the two nations and their results is as follows: On 20 May 1949 in Athens, during the Mediterranean Games, Italy B defeated Türkiye 3–2. On 11 December 1953 in Istanbul, during the Mediterranean Games, Italy B won 1–0. On 26 June 1955 in Trieste, during the Mediterranean Games, the match ended 1–1. On 2 December 1962 in Bologna, during the European Championship qualifiers, Italy won 6–0. On 27 March 1963 in Istanbul, Italy won a friendly 1–0. On 13 January 1973 in Naples, the World Cup qualifier ended 0–0, and Italy won the return leg in Istanbul on 25 February 1973 by 1–0. Italy won the friendly in Florence on 23 September 1978 by 1–0, the friendly in Istanbul on 3 March 1984 by 2–1, and the friendly in Pescara on 21 December 1994 by 3–1. In the EURO 2000 group match held in Arnhem on 11 June 2000, Italy won 2–1. The friendly in Pescara on 20 November 2002 ended 1–1, as did the friendly in Bergamo on 15 November 2006. Italy won the opening match of EURO 2020 in Rome on 11 June 2021 by 3–0. Italy won the friendly in Konya on 29 March 2022 by 3–2, and the most recent friendly in Bologna on 4 June 2024 ended 0–0.

Türkiye's national football team is facing Italy under the management of Italian head coach Vincenzo Montella, who is coaching against his own country's national team. This match will be Türkiye's 38th under Montella's leadership. Under his guidance, the star-and-crescent team has played 37 matches so far, 28 official and 9 unofficial, achieving 21 wins, 11 defeats, and five draws. In these matches, Türkiye has scored 64 goals and conceded 47.

^{Türkiye A Milli Futbol Takımı teknik direktörü Vincenzo Montella (AA)}

Before the match, head coach Vincenzo Montella made statements during a press conference. Montella stated that he has been in Türkiye for five years and will only be on the sideline to support Türkiye's success. He emphasized the need for greater ball possession and stronger control against Italy compared to the match against France. Regarding squad selection, he noted that Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Barış Alper Yılmaz have shown dedication by playing outside their usual positions over the past three years, and that players such as Bertuğ Yıldırım and Deniz Gül are in the process of being developed to fill those gaps. Regarding Berke Özer, he said there has been no communication from the player. He added that Enes Ünal has been closely monitored but his physical parameters are slightly below the required level, and his status will be reassessed at the next training camp.

Türkiye's 30-man provisional squad and injury status for the match against Italy have been confirmed. Goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır, who received a red card in the match against France, is suspended and will not be available for this fixture. Orkun Kökçü, who continues to recover from a toe injury and has recently played for his club under anesthesia, has participated in part of training but his availability for matchday will be determined closer to kickoff. Kenan Yıldız is excluded from the provisional squad due to a three-month injury spell. İlhan Fakılı, from the Türkiye U21 team, has joined the training sessions.

^{İtalya Milli Takımı teknik direktörü Roberto Mancini (AA)}

In Italy's camp, head coach Roberto Mancini has previously announced that he will not include ten players in the squad traveling to Türkiye. Mancini acknowledged that Türkiye possesses quality players and did not deserve to be eliminated from the World Cup. Italian player Sandro Tonali stated that he needs time to adapt to the team following the defeat against Belgium.

^{Türkiye - İtalya karşılaşması (AA)}

The second match of Türkiye's National Team in Group 1 of the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League A was played at the Yüzüncü Yıl Atatürk Stadium in Bursa between Türkiye and Italy. The match was officiated by English referee Michael Oliver from the English Football Association, with assistants Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring. In the group’s opening match, Türkiye lost 1–0 away to France, while Italy suffered a 2–0 home defeat against Belgium. The match in Bursa ended with a 4–1 victory for Italy.

The Türkiye National Team fielded Altay Bayındır, Zeki Çelik, Merih Demiral, Ozan Kabak, Eren Elmalı, Salih Özcan, Orkun Kökçü, Oğuz Aydın, Arda Güler, Can Uzun and Barış Alper Yılmaz in the starting eleven. At the 46th minute, Abdülkerim Bardakcı replaced Merih Demiral, İsmail Yüksek replaced Orkun Kökçü, and Kerem Aktürkoğlu replaced Can Uzun. At the 76th minute, Salih Özcan was substituted by Demir Ege Tıknaz, and at the 80th minute, Barış Alper Yılmaz was replaced by Deniz Gül.

^{Türkiye - İtalya karşılaşması (AA)}

The Italy National Team started with Donnarumma, Kayode, Scalvini, Bastoni, Ruggeri, Frattesi, Tonali, Fagioli, Sebastiano Esposito, Raspadori and Francesco Pio Esposito in the starting eleven. In the 46th minute, Cambiaghi replaced Raspadori; in the 63rd minute, Doumbia came on for Sebastiano Esposito. At the 76th minute, Romano replaced Fagioli, Scamacca replaced Francesco Pio Esposito, and in the 82nd minute, Di Lorenzo replaced Frattesi.

^{Türkiye - İtalya karşılaşması (AA)}

The first half was dominated by Italy, who scored multiple goals. In the 9th minute, Italy took the lead 1–0 when Alessandro Bastoni slid a shot into the net after a corner kick from the left flank, with the ball deflecting off Ruggeri’s header. Goalkeeper Altay Bayındır attempted to intervene but could not prevent the goal. In the 22nd minute, Italy doubled their lead. After a series of passes into the penalty area, Kayode received a pass from Raspadori and shot; the ball deflected off Altay Bayındır and was finished by Frattesi at the far post to make it 0–2. In the 27th minute, Italy extended their advantage to 3–0. After controlling the ball near the penalty spot, Francesco Pio Esposito played a pass to Kayode, who struck it cleanly into the net. No further scoring opportunities arose for the remainder of the half, and the first half ended 3–0 in Italy’s favor. The performance drew strong reactions from the stands, and Turkish Football Federation President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu left his seat during halftime.

^{Türkiye - İtalya karşılaşması (AA)}

Türkiye began the second half with three substitutions and a more aggressive attacking approach. In the 47th minute, Oğuz Aydın delivered a cross into the penalty area, and Barış Alper Yılmaz finished it to reduce the deficit to 1–3. However, Italy restored their three-goal lead in the 50th minute. After Tonali’s shot from the edge of the penalty area struck the post, Francesco Pio Esposito headed the rebound into the net to make it 1–4. In the 80th minute, Türkiye had a promising chance but failed to convert. Arda Güler entered the penalty area and passed to Demir Ege Tıknaz, who laid the ball off to Kerem Aktürkoğlu in front of the goal. Aktürkoğlu’s close-range shot went over the crossbar. The match concluded with a 4–1 victory for Italy.

^{İtalya Teknik Direktörü Roberto Mancini (AA)}

Italy’s head coach Roberto Mancini, in the post-match press conference, stated that his players executed the planned strategy effectively and delivered an excellent performance to secure the win. Mancini expressed satisfaction with the team’s play during the first 60 minutes and praised the performances of Kayode and Fagioli. The experienced coach emphasized that the team responded strongly after their defeat to Belgium, highlighted the presence of many young players on the pitch, and noted that concentration remained high throughout the match despite the scoreline. Mancini also observed that Turkish football has improved every year, acknowledged that Türkiye has a strong team and capable head coach, and asserted that the result was a direct reflection of Italy’s superior performance.

Türkiye National Team head coach Vincenzo Montella, in his press conference, noted that the team was competing in League C two and a half years ago, that under his leadership they had risen from League B to League A, and that players must become accustomed to playing matches every three days at this level. Comparing the squad market values of the two nations, Montella stated that Italy’s squad is valued at 840 million euros, while Türkiye’s is valued at 417 million euros. The Italian coach admitted that his team performed poorly in the first 30 minutes and deserved the early goals, but expressed sadness over the fans’ negative reactions—including whistling—directed at goalkeeper Altay Bayındır despite the improved performance in the second half.

^{A Milli Takım Teknik Direktörü Vincenzo Montella (AA)}

In response to a question regarding Turkish Football Federation President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu’s departure from the stands, Montella stated that he maintains open communication with the president not only after victories but also after defeats. He commended Barış Alper Yılmaz and Kerem Aktürkoğlu for their selfless efforts despite playing out of position, and pointed out that since 2019, no Turkish forward playing regularly in his own club has been among the top scorers in the league. When asked whether he would resign, Montella affirmed his confidence in his work and his players, and stated that resignation is not under consideration.

Following the match, national team player İsmail Yüksek told reporters that the team delivered a poor performance in the first half that did not reflect their standards, and that the fans’ negative reactions after the goals had a detrimental effect on the team. He expressed frustration with the public’s calls for apologies, described the result and performance as shameful, and emphasized that it is the players’ responsibility to correct the situation, pledging to give their all in upcoming matches.

^{Milli futbolcu İsmail Yüksek (AA)}

National team player Merih Demiral expressed shame over the performance, stated that full responsibility lies with the players, and apologized to the Turkish people. Zeki Çelik said the team did not expect such a 4–1 result at home and expressed disappointment, adding that they are focused on securing victories in the remaining group matches.

^{Third Match: Belgium - Türkiye Infographic (AA)}

The third match within Group 1 of the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League A is an official football encounter between the Belgium national football team and the Türkiye national football team. The match is scheduled to kick off at 21:45 Türkiye Time (TSİ) at the Maurice Dufrasne Stadium in Liège, Belgium. The game will be broadcast live in Türkiye on the ATV channel. This encounter marks the 12th meeting between the two national teams in history and is the 657th official match in the history of the Türkiye national football team, which has existed for 103 years.

The points distribution and overall performance statistics of the teams in Group 1 of the UEFA Nations League A reveal a clear hierarchy prior to the third matchday. France national football team, having won both of their opening matches, leads the group with six points. The host nation Belgium and Italy each have three points and are tied for second place. The Türkiye national football team has yet to earn a point in the group.

Reviewing the previous matches in the group, Türkiye lost their opening fixture 1–0 to France in Kocaeli and were defeated 4–1 by Italy in Bursa during their second match. Belgium, on the other hand, secured a 2–0 away victory over Italy in their first match but lost 1–0 at home to France in their second. In the other third matchday fixture during the same time slot, France and Italy will face each other at 21:45 TSİ in Paris. Türkiye will play their fourth group match away against Italy on 5 October 2026.

The Maurice Dufrasne Stadium in Liège, Belgium, will host the match between Belgium and Türkiye. The kickoff time is set for 21:45 TSİ and the game will be broadcast live on ATV. According to UEFA’s appointment, the match will be officiated by Rohit Saggi of the Norwegian Football Federation. Anders Olav Dale, also from Norway, will serve as the first assistant referee, while Ole Andreas Haukasen will act as the second assistant referee. Marius Hansen Grotta of the Norwegian Football Federation will serve as the fourth official.

^{The National Football Team conducts a ground inspection walk (AA)}

The Türkiye national football team delegation arrived in Liège the day before the match and conducted an official pitch inspection at the Maurice Dufrasne Stadium. The stadium’s overall structure and the condition of the turf were thoroughly examined by head coach Vincenzo Montella, the technical staff and the players. Following the completion of the walk-through, the technical team and players participated in a group photo session on the pitch before moving to their designated hotel to await the match time.

With this match in the UEFA Nations League, Türkiye and Belgium will meet for the 12th time in history. Of the 11 previous encounters between the two nations, seven were official matches and four were friendly fixtures. The results have been balanced: Türkiye has won three matches, Belgium has won three, and five ended in draws. In these 11 matches, Belgium scored a total of 18 goals while Türkiye scored 17.

In terms of away matches, the Türkiye national team has played seven matches on Belgian soil: six in the capital Brussels and one in Genk. In these seven away fixtures, Türkiye recorded two wins, three draws and two defeats. Both teams scored 11 goals each in these seven matches played in Belgium.

The most recent official match between the two national teams took place 15 years ago on 3 June 2011 at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels. The match, part of the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying group, ended in a 1–1 draw. Belgium’s goal was scored by Ogunjimi in the 4th minute, while Türkiye’s equalizer came from Burak Yılmaz in the 22nd minute. The results of other historical matches between the two sides, in chronological order, are as follows: a friendly in Ankara on 8 December 1957 ended 1–1; a friendly in Brussels on 26 October 1958 ended 1–1; a World Cup qualifier in Brussels on 31 August 1996 ended 2–1 in favor of Belgium; a World Cup qualifier in Istanbul on 30 April 1997 ended 3–1 in favor of Belgium; a UEFA Euro 2000 group match in Brussels on 19 June 2000 ended 2–0 in favor of Türkiye; a friendly in Brussels on 28 April 2004 ended 3–2 in favor of Türkiye; a friendly in Genk on 24 May 2006 ended 3–3; a World Cup qualifier in Istanbul on 10 September 2008 ended 1–1; a World Cup qualifier in Brussels on 10 October 2009 ended 2–0 in favor of Belgium; and a Euro 2012 qualifier in Istanbul on 7 September 2010 ended 3–2 in favor of Türkiye.

By facing Belgium, the Türkiye national football team will play its 657th match in its 103-year history. In its previous 656 matches, the team has played 367 official matches and 289 friendlies, recording 260 wins (one of which was a default win), 151 draws and 245 defeats. In terms of venue distribution, the team has played 279 away matches, 283 home matches and 94 neutral-site matches, with three matches awarded as default wins. Over this period, the national team has scored 907 goals and conceded 937. Türkiye has faced 93 different national teams throughout its history, competing against 566 teams from Europe, 34 from Asia, 24 from Africa, 28 from the Americas and four from Oceania.

Türkiye’s only default win in its history came against Greece. The friendly match played on 17 November 2015 at the Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadium ended 0–0 but was later awarded 3–0 to Türkiye by FIFA six months later due to Greece fielding an ineligible player. Conversely, the friendly match against Kosovo on 21 May 2014, which Türkiye won 6–1 away, was not included in official statistics because Kosovo was not yet a member of UEFA or FIFA at that time.

Under head coach Vincenzo Montella, the Türkiye national team will play its 39th match against Belgium. Of the 38 matches previously played under Montella, 29 were official and nine were friendlies. In those matches, the team has recorded 21 wins, 12 defeats and five draws, scoring 65 goals and conceding 51.

At a press conference held at the Maurice Dufrasne Stadium in Liège ahead of the match, head coach Vincenzo Montella and national player Arda Güler made statements. Montella addressed criticism directed at the team and its players, emphasizing that the players had taken the team to the World Cup, achieved success at the European Championship and elevated it to the Nations League level. Montella highlighted that teams promoted to the Nations League A have a low rate of remaining in the group, with three out of four promoted teams relegated each year, stressing the need for the team to adapt to the high level of difficulty at this tier.

^{Türkiye A National Football Team press conference (AA)}

Regarding squad composition and injury status, mandatory changes have been made to the Türkiye national team’s provisional squad. Orkun Kökçü, who experienced increased pain in his toe following the match against Italy in Bursa, has been withdrawn from the provisional squad. In his place, Emirhan İlkhan and Yusuf Akçiçek have been added. In goal, Uğurcan Çakır, who received a red card in the first group match against France and was suspended for the Italy match, has now served his suspension and is eligible to play against Belgium.

National player Arda Güler, in his press conference remarks, stated that the team aims to secure a positive result through collective effort. Regarding the absence of Belgium’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who is his teammate at Real Madrid, Güler acknowledged that the opposing goalkeeper will do his best to prevent goals.

Belgium’s national team will be led by Dutch coach Mark van Bommel, who assumed the role in July following the World Cup, succeeding Rudi Garcia. This will be van Bommel’s third match in charge. Van Bommel held a press conference alongside goalkeeper Senne Lammens at the team’s training base in Tubize. The Dutch coach stated that he had analyzed Türkiye’s recent matches, noting that the Turkish national team creates positional opportunities but struggles to convert them into goals, and possesses high-quality players.

^{Belgium National Team press conference (AA)}

Regarding player availability, van Bommel confirmed that Diego Moreira will be unavailable for the match against Türkiye due to injury. However, Leandro Trossard, who missed a week of training after sustaining an injury during a European match, has rejoined the squad and will feature in the game. Midfielder Romeo Lavia has been definitively ruled out of the starting eleven. Regarding Romelu Lukaku, who plays for Fenerbahçe, van Bommel noted that the player has seen limited playing time at his club, that he held a meeting with him in Istanbul and that his inclusion will depend on the tactical needs of the match. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens also stated that the team has established a positive atmosphere and that their goal is victory.

In the third match before the fourth group stage match of the UEFA Nations League A, the Türkiye national football team faced the Belgium national football team away from home. The match, held at the Maurice Dufrasne Stadium in Liège, Belgium, ended with a 3-0 victory for the home team, Belgium. The goals that secured the win for Belgium were scored by Kevin De Bruyne in the 10th and 60th minutes, and by Romelu Lukaku in the 76th minute. As a result of this outcome, Türkiye suffered its third consecutive defeat in the group and remained at the bottom of the standings, while Belgium increased its points total to six.

This match marked the 12th encounter between the two national teams. After a gap of fifteen years, this was the first time the two sides met again. In the previous 12 matches, which included eight friendly and four official games, Türkiye won three, lost four, and drew five. Belgium scored a total of 21 goals in these encounters. The match was attended by Ibrahim Ethem Hacıosmanoğlu, President of the Turkish Football Federation, and members of the TFF Executive Board.

At the Maurice Dufrasne Stadium in Liège, the following lineups took the field under the management of the respective head coaches:

Belgium national football team started with Lammens in goal; Castagne, Ngoy, Mechele, and De Cuyper in defense; Tielemans, Vanaken, Lukebakio, Kevin De Bruyne, and Godts in midfield; and De Ketelaere as the lone striker. During the latter stages of the match, substitutions were made under the management of head coach Mark van Bommel. In the 61st minute, Vanaken was replaced by Lavia and Lukebakio by Romelu Lukaku. In the 74th minute, Godts was substituted by Leandro Trossard. In the 82nd minute, Kevin De Bruyne was replaced by Openda and De Ketelaere by Fofana.

^{Belgium – Türkiye match (AA)}

The Türkiye national football team, under head coach Vincenzo Montella, fielded Uğurcan Çakır in goal; Zeki Çelik, Merih Demiral, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, and Ferdi Kadıoğlu in defense; İsmail Yüksek, Bartuğ Elmaz, Oğuz Aydın, Arda Güler, and Kerem Aktürkoğlu in midfield; and Barış Alper Yılmaz as the lone striker. Players Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Kenan Yıldız, Orkun Kökçü, and Mert Müldür were absent from the squad due to injury or unavailability. The first substitution for Türkiye occurred at the start of the second half, with Yunus Akgün replacing Barış Alper Yılmaz in the 46th minute. In the 67th minute, Oğuz Aydın was replaced by İlhan Fakılı and Kerem Aktürkoğlu by Deniz Gül. In the 73rd minute, Bartuğ Elmaz was substituted by Salih Özcan, and in the 85th minute, İsmail Yüksek was replaced by Demir Ege Tıknaz.

With this match, Bartuğ Elmaz and İlhan Fakılı made their debut appearances for the Türkiye national team. Bartuğ Elmaz started the match in the starting eleven, while İlhan Fakılı made his international debut after coming on as a substitute in the 67th minute.

The first half began and progressed under the control of the home team, Belgium. In the 10th minute, Belgium took the lead. Kevin De Bruyne collected the ball in front of the penalty area and struck it with the inside of his foot, sending it into the net from a tight angle to give his team a 1-0 advantage.

^{Belgium – Türkiye match (AA)}

In the 16th minute, Türkiye created its first meaningful attack. Arda Güler controlled the ball from a pass by İsmail Yüksek with his chest and shot from outside the penalty area; goalkeeper Lammens saved it in two quick movements.

In the 19th minute, Türkiye came close to equalizing. From a free kick delivered by Arda Güler on the left flank, Abdülkerim Bardakcı headed the ball from inside the penalty area, but it narrowly missed the goal and went wide.

In the 26th minute, Lukebakio of Belgium and in the 30th minute, Tielemans were both shown yellow cards by the match referee.

In the 34th minute, Belgium had a second goal opportunity. Kevin De Bruyne received the ball in the penalty area and passed it to Vanaken just in front of the six-yard box. Vanaken’s heel shot was deflected by goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır, but the loose ball was cleared by the Turkish defense.

In the 37th minute, during a Belgian attack from the right flank, Lukebakio’s powerful shot struck the post after being touched by goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır and bounced back into play.

In the final moments of the first half, in the 44th minute, Türkiye earned a corner kick. After a scramble following the corner, Zeki Çelik turned the ball toward goal from close range; Merih Demiral, unmarked at the back post, struck it, but the ball went over the crossbar.

The first half ended with Belgium leading 1-0.

The second half continued with substitutions and alternating attacks. In the 53rd minute, Belgium mounted a dangerous attack. Lukebakio received the ball in the penalty area and fired a cross-shot from the right; the ball struck the post and rebounded into play, after which the Turkish defense cleared it from the danger zone.

In the 56th minute, Türkiye failed to capitalize on an equalizing opportunity. Yunus Akgün, receiving a pass from Arda Güler, entered the penalty area, beat his marker, and shot; the ball rebounded off goalkeeper Lammens and was cleared by the Belgian defense. In the same minute (56th), Abdülkerim Bardakcı of Türkiye received a yellow card.

^{Belgium – Türkiye match (AA)}

In the 60th minute, Belgium doubled their lead. Kevin De Bruyne controlled a rebounded ball just outside the penalty area and fired a shot that found the net, making the score 2-0.

In the 64th minute, Barış Alper Yılmaz, who was on the bench for Türkiye, received a yellow card. In the 70th minute, Merih Demiral was also shown a yellow card.

Belgium scored their third goal in the 76th minute. Romelu Lukaku, who had entered the match as a substitute, struck the ball after De Ketelaere delivered it from the right byline into the six-yard box, sending it into the net and making the score 3-0.

In the 80th minute, Kevin De Bruyne of Belgium received a yellow card.

In the 90+1st minute, Arda Güler took a free kick from a central position directly at goal; goalkeeper Lammens saved it with a fingertip save, deflecting it into the corner.

In the 90+3rd minute, Arda Güler of Türkiye and Ngoy of Belgium both received yellow cards. The match concluded with Belgium winning 3-0.

A total of eight players received yellow cards during the match. For Belgium, Lukebakio (26th minute), Tielemans (30th minute), Kevin De Bruyne (80th minute), and Ngoy (90+3rd minute) were cautioned. For Türkiye, Abdülkerim Bardakcı (56th minute), Barış Alper Yılmaz (64th minute – while on the bench), Merih Demiral (70th minute), and Arda Güler (90+3rd minute) received yellow cards.

Prior to the match, Arda Güler and Barış Alper Yılmaz were one yellow card away from suspension. As a result of the yellow cards received in this match, both players are now suspended and will be ineligible to play in Türkiye’s fourth group match on Monday, 5 October, away against Italy.

Following the match, Türkiye national team head coach Vincenzo Montella made remarks during the post-match press conference. Montella stated that statistically, the match was balanced, but emphasized that mistakes made at the Nations League level were punished by the opposition. He noted that his team fought hard throughout the match, pointing out that Türkiye had 40 ball possessions in the opponent’s penalty area compared to Belgium’s 26, but stressed that without converting those chances into goals, the result could not have been as desired.

^{Türkiye A National Football Team press conference (AA)}

The Italian coach emphasized that competing in the Nations League is not a liability but an honor, and that the team is continuing its journey by gaining experience. Montella acknowledged the absence of Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Kenan Yıldız, Orkun Kökçü, and Mert Müldür and noted their impact on the team. He expressed disappointment over the suspensions of Arda Güler and Barış Alper Yılmaz but affirmed that the team would not give up and would continue representing the country with determination. Regarding criticism, he stated that expectations have risen over the past three years, that fan reactions are understood with empathy, and that the team will continue working with motivation.

Belgium national team head coach Mark van Bommel expressed satisfaction with the victory. He acknowledged that Belgium did not achieve the desired level of ball control, particularly in the first half, and admitted that they granted opportunities to Türkiye.

^{Belgium A National Football Team press conference (AA)}

In response to questions about Kevin De Bruyne’s yellow card, Van Bommel assessed that the player was visibly frustrated and did not intentionally receive the card. Regarding Romelu Lukaku, who came on as a substitute and scored the decisive goal and who plays his club football for Fenerbahçe in the Süper Lig, the Dutch coach said Lukaku’s goal was a positive development, noting that as his physical condition improves, his playing time will increase and he will continue to make valuable contributions to the team.

Romelu Lukaku, who scored Belgium’s third goal and plays his club football for Fenerbahçe, made statements to the press after the match. The striker, who entered the game in the 61st minute and scored in the 76th minute, expressed his satisfaction with his goal.

Speaking about his situation at Fenerbahçe and his role in the national team, Lukaku said that if he were playing at full capacity for his club, his circumstances would be different. He affirmed his intention to return to Fenerbahçe to earn his place and stated that his physical condition and performance are at a good level.

^{Fourth Match: Italy - Türkiye (AA)}

The fourth match of UEFA Nations League Group 1 is an official football match between the Italy national football team and the Türkiye national football team. The game will be held at the Renato Dall'Ara Stadium in Bologna, located in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The match, scheduled to begin at 21:45 Türkiye time, will be broadcast live on the ATV television channel. The refereeing team for the match has been appointed by the Polish Football Association. Szymon Marciniak serves as the head referee, with Tomasz Listkiewicz and Adam Kupsik as assistant referees, and Karol Arys as the fourth official. This match marks the 658th international fixture in the 103-year history of the Türkiye national football team.

The Türkiye national football team, competing in UEFA Nations League Group 1, has failed to earn any points in its first three matches. The star-and-crescent team lost 1–0 to France in Kocaeli in their opening match, then suffered a 4–1 defeat to Italy in Bursa, and followed with a 3–0 away loss to Belgium. Türkiye will complete its group stage fixtures in November 2026 with away matches against France and Belgium in İzmir.

Host nation Italy, in its first three group matches, defeated Türkiye 4–1 away, lost 2–0 to Belgium at home, and drew 1–1 with France in Paris. On the same day and time as this match, France and Belgium will face each other in Paris as part of Group 1 fixtures.

The Türkiye and Italy national football teams are meeting for the 18th time in history, four of which were at B-team level. In the previous 17 matches between the two nations, Türkiye has never secured a victory; five ended in draws and twelve were won by Italy. Italy has scored a total of 33 goals in these encounters, while Türkiye has managed 11 goals against their opponents.

This will be the third time the two teams meet in Bologna. Their first match in the city took place on 2 December 1962 during the qualifiers for the 1964 European Championship, with Italy winning 6–0. This result remains Türkiye’s heaviest defeat against Italy. The goals for Italy in that match were scored by Orlando (four goals) and Rivera (two goals). The second match in Bologna occurred on 4 June 2024 as a friendly and ended in a 0–0 draw.

In its 103-year football history, the Türkiye national football team has played 657 matches, of which 368 were official and 289 were friendly. The star-and-crescent team has recorded 260 wins, including one awarded by default, 151 draws, and 246 losses. The national team has conceded 940 goals while scoring 907. In terms of venue distribution, the team has played 283 matches at home, 280 away, and 94 on neutral grounds.

Türkiye’s only awarded win came after a 0–0 friendly against Greece on 17 November 2015 at the Istanbul Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadium. The match was later awarded 3–0 to Türkiye by FIFA six months later due to Greece fielding an ineligible player. On the other hand, the 6–1 friendly victory over Kosovo on 21 May 2014 away was not recognized as an official match because Kosovo was not yet a member of UEFA or FIFA at the time.

Under head coach Vincenzo Montella, the Türkiye national team has played 39 matches, 30 official and 9 friendly. In these matches, the team has recorded 21 wins, five draws, and 13 losses. The team has scored 65 goals while conceding 54.

The Türkiye national football team completed its preparations for the match against Italy with a training session at the academy facilities of Standard Liège in Belgium. Under head coach Vincenzo Montella, the session included warm-ups, passing drills, rondo exercises, agility work, tactical drills, and set-piece practice. Türkiye Football Federation President İbrahim Ethem Hacıosmanoğlu and TFF General Secretary Abdullah Ayaz observed the session from the stands. Emirhan Topçu left training early due to a recurrence of knee pain, while Can Uzun, who is experiencing discomfort in his hamstring, performed individual work during the second half of the session. The official pre-match press conference was held at the Renato Dall'Ara Stadium with the participation of Vincenzo Montella and Ozan Kabak.

In Türkiye’s squad, Arda Güler and Barış Alper Yılmaz are suspended due to yellow card accumulation and will not feature in the match. Additionally, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Kenan Yıldız, Orkun Kökçü, and Mert Günok are absent due to injury or other unavailability.

For the Italy national team, forward Moise Kean did not participate in training due to persistent pain and has left the national team camp. Italy head coach Roberto Mancini announced that he will rotate the squad for this match, which comes two days after Italy’s game against France.

Head coach of the Türkiye national team, Vincenzo Montella, stated in his press conference that the team is in a process of gaining experience against tough group opponents and is determined to win. He noted that the absence of key players such as Arda Güler, Kenan Yıldız, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Orkun Kökçü, and Mert Günok presents an opportunity to give younger players valuable experience. Montella highlighted that despite entering the penalty area 42 times in the match against Belgium without scoring, he emphasized the need for constructive criticism. National team player Ozan Kabak stressed that after the first three group matches, the team aims to learn from its mistakes and respond effectively, and underscored that the strong camaraderie within the squad remains its greatest strength.

Italy national team head coach Roberto Mancini acknowledged that Türkiye is a team composed of highly quality players and has demonstrated success in qualifying for the World Cup. Despite Türkiye’s absence of key players, Mancini warned that the match will be challenging and cautioned against underestimating the opposition. Italian footballer Nicolò Barella also noted that the absence of Hakan Çalhanoğlu, his Inter teammate, represents a significant loss for Türkiye, but added that Türkiye’s strong squad depth will enable them to respond effectively and that Italy does not expect an easy match.

The Türkiye national football team faced the Italy national football team at the Renato Dall'Ara Stadium in Bologna in their fourth match of Group 1 of the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League A. Italy won the match 3–1 with goals from Gianluca Scamacca, Riccardo Calafiori and Pio Esposito, while Aral Şimşir scored Türkiye’s only goal. With this result, Italy increased their points to seven, while Türkiye, having lost all four of their group matches, remained at the bottom of the group with zero points.

The match was watched from the stands by Ibrahim Ethem Hacıosmanoğlu, President of the Turkish Football Federation, and members of the TFF Board of Directors. Prior to this match, Türkiye had suffered defeats against France 1–0 in Kocaeli, Italy 4–1 in Bursa, and Belgium 3–0 in Liège.

The Türkiye national football team started the match with Uğurcan Çakır, Zeki Çelik, Ozan Kabak, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Eren Elmalı, İsmail Yüksek, Salih Özcan, Yunus Akgün, İrfan Can Kahveci, Ferdi Kadıoğlu and Aral Şimşir in the starting eleven. Head coach Vincenzo Montella made six changes from the starting lineup against Belgium, two of which were mandatory; replacing the suspended Arda Güler and Barış Alper Yılmaz, he fielded Ozan Kabak, Eren Elmalı, Salih Özcan, İrfan Can Kahveci, Aral Şimşir and Yunus Akgün in place of Merih Demiral, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Oğuz Aydın and Bartuğ Elmaz.

^{Fourth Match: Italy - Türkiye (AA)}

In Türkiye, Oğuz Aydın replaced Ferdi Kadıoğlu in the 88th minute, Kerem Aktürkoğlu replaced İsmail Yüksek in the 79th minute, Bartuğ Elmaz replaced İrfan Can Kahveci in the 70th minute, İlhan Fakılı replaced Aral Şimşir in the same minute, and Deniz Gül replaced Yunus Akgün in the 88th minute. Altay Bayındır, Muhammed Şengezer, Merih Demiral, Emirhan Topçu, Demir Ege Tıknaz, Melih Kabasakal and Mustafa Eskihellaç were among the substitutes.

The Italy national team lined up with Donnarumma, Di Lorenzo, Mancini, Bastoni, Ruggeri, Barella, Romano, Doumbia, Vergara, Maldini and Scamacca in the starting eleven. In Italy, Kayode replaced Di Lorenzo in the 55th minute, Calafiori replaced Ruggeri and Esposito replaced Scamacca in the 56th minute, Tonali replaced Barella in the 70th minute, and Frattesi replaced Vergara in the 84th minute.

Aral Şimşir and İrfan Can Kahveci made their debut in the UEFA Nations League A with this match. Aral Şimşir, who had previously worn the Türkiye national team jersey in a friendly against North Macedonia, played his second match in the national jersey and his first official senior international match. İrfan Can Kahveci made his 49th appearance for the Türkiye national team.

In the opening phase of the match, Türkiye created chances against Italy’s goal with long-range shots. In the 13th minute, a shot from outside the penalty area by Ozan Kabak was saved by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who stretched to his right to push the ball onto the crossbar. In the 15th minute, Donnarumma again denied a shot from Salih Özcan, who struck from approximately 20 meters. In the 17th minute, a cross from İrfan Can Kahveci into the Italy penalty area was met by a header from Yunus Akgün, which was also saved by the Italian goalkeeper.

^{Gianluca Scamacca and teammates (AA)}

Italy took the lead in the 26th minute. After Di Lorenzo received the ball on the right flank and delivered a cross toward the penalty spot, Gianluca Scamacca, who was in front of the ball, struck it into the net to make the score 1–0. The remainder of the first half saw no further goals, and Italy went into halftime with a 1–0 advantage.

In the first half, Scamacca of Italy received a yellow card in the 41st minute. At the start of the second half, Ruggeri was shown a yellow card in the 47th minute.

One of the first significant chances of the second half came from Italy in the 58th minute. Doumbia, receiving a layoff from Esposito, ran behind the defense and faced goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır; Çakır blocked the close-range shot with his feet.

^{Aral Şimşir and Zeki Çelik (AA)}

Türkiye equalized in the 61st minute. After a pass from Yunus Akgün, Zeki Çelik received the ball in the penalty area and cut it to the near post, where Eren Elmalı touched it. The loose ball fell to Aral Şimşir, who fired it into the net to make the score 1–1. This was Aral Şimşir’s first goal for the Türkiye national team.

Italy regained the lead shortly after the equalizer. In the 64th minute, a free kick from the right flank by Nicolo Barella found Riccardo Calafiori, who headed it into the net from the back post to make the score 2–1.

Türkiye came close to equalizing again in the 78th minute. Yunus Akgün, driving into the penalty area from the right, passed to Salih Özcan, whose shot was blocked at the last moment by Donnarumma, who pushed it onto the corner flag.

In the closing stages of the match, Italy extended their lead. In the 87th minute, Pio Esposito touched Romano’s pass into the six-yard box and fired it into the net to make the score 3–1. No further goals were scored in the remaining time, and the match ended with Italy winning 3–1.

In the match, Zeki Çelik of Türkiye received a yellow card in the 55th minute and Abdülkerim Bardakcı received one in the 81st minute. Scamacca and Ruggeri of Italy were the only players cautioned with yellow cards.

Following the match, Türkiye national team head coach Vincenzo Montella stated that the game had been tactically positive and that a balanced contest had taken place between the two sides. Montella acknowledged that the result did not meet their expectations, emphasizing that the team’s primary goal remains qualification for the European Championship and that the experience gained in the Nations League will be used for development. He noted that the absence of key players had affected the team and highlighted that the young players had competed at the same level as their opponents.

^{Vincenzo Montella (AA)}

Montella said he did not perceive a fundamental problem in the team’s collective play and that they had been able to create chances against opponents of this caliber. He emphasized that in modern football, specific moments directly influence results, and that the lack of goal-scoring efficiency had reflected in the outcome, noting that top-level opponents capitalize on even minor mistakes. Montella told his players they must remain hopeful for the future and confirmed that the team will continue its work.

Montella also expressed satisfaction with his tenure in Türkiye and the work conducted with the players, noting that the squad had made significant progress over the past three years, had worked to implement tactical plans as a unit, and that the development process was ongoing.

Italy national team head coach Roberto Mancini stated after the match that Türkiye is a team with quality players and a difficult opponent to face. Mancini noted that nine changes to Italy’s squad had affected their game structure, and that his team struggled to gain possession early in the match but gradually became more involved as it progressed.

Mancini positively assessed Vincenzo Montella’s work with the Türkiye national team, recalling that Türkiye had qualified for the World Cup and had been promoted to League A in the Nations League. The Italian coach emphasized that Türkiye had played this match with significant absences but noted that the game had been generally balanced overall.

Mancini expressed satisfaction with Italy’s results and confirmed that the team is progressing toward its goal of reaching the quarterfinals. He drew attention to Pio Esposito’s effort and desire to score the final goal, noting that the player’s physical and technical attributes could enable him to become an important striker in the future.

National player Salih Özcan expressed disappointment following the match due to the result. Özcan pointed out that simple mistakes made at the Nations League level had been punished by opponents with goals, and stressed that the team must learn from this, improve concentration, and show a different performance in upcoming matches.

In his assessment of the team’s morale, Özcan said the players were disappointed but must continue fighting, emphasizing that despite the level of their opponents, the team must maintain hope and continue their efforts.

The match against Italy was the 658th match in the history of the Türkiye national football team. After this match, Türkiye has recorded 260 wins, 151 draws and 247 losses, having scored 908 goals and conceded 943. This was the 18th meeting between the two national teams; Türkiye has never defeated Italy, with five draws and 13 losses. Türkiye has scored 12 goals against Italy while conceding 36.

After the fourth round of matches in UEFA Nations League A Group 1, France maintained top position with 10 points after defeating Belgium 4–1 at home. Italy is second with seven points, Belgium third with six points, and Türkiye, with zero points after four matches, remains at the bottom of the group.

The Türkiye national football team will play their fifth group match on 12 November 2026 at the Gürsel Aksel Stadium in İzmir against Belgium. The team’s final group match will be on 15 November at the Stade de l’Atlantique in Bordeaux, where they will face France.