Match Preview: Belgium vs Türkiye – UEFA Nations League

Belgium Seeks to Cement Nations League Stranglehold Against Beleaguered Türkiye

Türkiye arrives at Stade Maurice Dufrasne in Liege in a precarious position, rooted to the bottom of their UEFA Nations League group with zero points from three matches. This Friday's fixture against Belgium is a rapid rematch, coming just days after the Belgians dispatched Türkiye 3-0 in their previous encounter. Belgium, currently sitting second in the group with six points, will view this as a prime opportunity to solidify their standing and maintain pressure on leaders France, while Türkiye desperately searches for a first point to avoid a completely deflating campaign. The stakes are clear: Belgium needs to consolidate, Türkiye needs to salvage.

Match Details

• Competition: UEFA Nations League
• Venue: Stade Maurice Dufrasne, Liege
• Kick-off: Friday, 02 October 2026 • 19:45 UK Time
• Referee: Rohit Saggi

Current Form

Belgium enters this contest with a run of three wins and two losses across their last five matches, including a 3-0 dismantling of Türkiye in their most recent fixture. Their Nations League campaign has seen them recover from a narrow 0-1 defeat to France with a convincing 2-0 victory over Italy, demonstrating their capacity to bounce back against strong European opposition. This sequence, combined with a 4-1 World Cup win against USA, highlights a potent attack capable of finding the net consistently, while also showing resilience against top-tier opponents like Spain and France.

Türkiye, conversely, finds themselves in a dire patch of form, having lost four of their last five outings. Their Nations League journey has been particularly grim, marked by a 0-3 loss to Belgium, a heavy 1-4 defeat against Italy, and a tight 0-1 loss to France, leaving them without a single point. Scoring just one goal while conceding eight across these three Nations League games paints a clear picture of their struggles at both ends of the pitch. A 3-2 World Cup victory over USA in June offers a fleeting moment of attacking success, but it feels distant from their current reality.

Team News

With no major injuries reported for either side, both Belgium and Türkiye look set to field their strongest available squads. For Belgium, this means the creative genius of Kevin De Bruyne in midfield, supported by Youri Tielemans and the attacking prowess of Romelu Lukaku and Loïs Openda, will be fully at the manager's disposal. The availability of key defensive figures like Arthur Theate and Timothy Castagne also ensures Belgium's backline is at full strength.

Türkiye will likewise have access to their experienced core, including the midfield leadership of Hakan Çalhanoglu and Orkun Kokçu, alongside defensive stalwarts Merih Demiral and Çağlar Söyüncü. Upfront, the likes of Kerem Aktürkoglu, Arda Güler, and Cenk Uzun will be available to spearhead their attack, offering options to try and break their Nations League goal drought. The full complement of players means tactical decisions will be paramount, rather than dictated by forced changes.

Head to

No Head-to-Head data available.