Is Kylian Mbappe playing today? Projected lineups for France vs Turkiye in 2026-27 UEFA Nations League Group A

Kylian Mbappe is set to start and captain France as they open their UEFA Nations League campaign against Turkiye at the Kocaeli Stadyumu, marking Zinedine Zidane’s first match in charge of Les Bleus.

The Real Madrid forward missed a training session earlier in the week with flu-like symptoms, but Zidane confirmed he’s back to full fitness. “Kylian is fine, he had a minor setback but nothing serious, he will be ready to play tomorrow,” the coach said during a press conference.

France come into this window off the back of a fourth-place finish at the 2026 World Cup, having lost to Spain in the semifinals before falling to England in the third-place playoff.

Zidane takes over from Didier Deschamps looking to reset the group, with two more Nations League matches following this one, away to Belgium on September 28 before home dates against Italy and Belgium on October 2 and 5 at the Stade de France.

Turkiye, meanwhile, were eliminated in the group stage of their first World Cup since 2002 over the summer, and now turn their attention to a Nations League group featuring France, Italy, and Belgium. Vincenzo Montella’s side have won just one of their last six meetings with France, and will be looking to spring an upset on home soil in front of their own fans.

Turkiye projected lineup

Montella will be without Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Kenan Yıldız through injury, with Salih Özcan in line to benefit from Çalhanoğlu’s absence in midfield, while Arda Güler is fit and expected to start out wide.

Turkiye projected starting XI: Çakır; Çelik, Demiral, Bardakcı, Elmalı; Özcan, Kökçü, Yüksek; Güler, Yılmaz, Aktürkoğlu.

France projected lineup

Zidane will be missing William Saliba through injury, while Aurélien Tchouaméni was left out due to fitness issues and Ibrahima Konaté withdrew with a knee problem, with Leny Yoro called up as his replacement. Eduardo Camavinga is expected to start in midfield, and Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert could earn just his second cap at left-back.

France projected starting XI: Maignan; Koundé, Upamecano, Lacroix, Truffert; Camavinga, Rabiot; Dembélé, Olise, Doué; Mbappe.