Türkiye's first League A campaign: what promotion actually means
Türkiye have never played a League A match. On 25 September they open at home to France, in a group with Italy and Belgium — and four matchdays in thirteen days will tell us whether promotion was a reward or a trap.
Quick answers
- It is Türkiye’s first season in League A — they were promoted from League B for 2026/27.
- Their first match is Türkiye vs France on Friday 25 September 2026, 20:45 CET, at home.
- Group A1: France, Italy, Belgium, Türkiye — three former finalists and the newcomers.
- Each team plays four matches in the 24 September – 6 October window, then two more in November.
- Türkiye went out of the 2026 World Cup in the group stage; France reached the semi-finals.
- The top two in the group reach the quarter-finals in March 2027; the worst fourth-placed teams across League A are relegated.
The short answer. Promotion puts Türkiye in a four-team group with France, Italy and Belgium and gives them four matches inside thirteen days. That is the whole story of the Nations League in one fixture list: the reward for winning League B is a season against the teams that reached the EURO 2024 and World Cup finals, and the punishment for a bad window is a relegation play-off. Their opener, at home to France on 25 September, is the fixture that decides whether the promotion feels like progress.
What promotion earned them
Winning League B put Türkiye in League A for the first time in the competition’s history. It also put them in the group with the highest combined pedigree in the 2026/27 edition.
| Group A1 | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| France | World Cup semi-finalists in 2026; fourth at the tournament |
| Italy | Quarter-finalists in the last Nations League; League A regulars |
| Belgium | Reached the World Cup quarter-finals in 2026 |
| Türkiye | First League A campaign; out of the World Cup in the group stage |
Why four matches in thirteen days matters more for the newcomers
The September window carries matchday 1 on 24–26 September, matchday 2 on 27–29 September, matchday 3 on 30 September–3 October and matchday 4 on 4–6 October. France and Italy have squads built for that; Türkiye have a first-choice eleven that is good enough to beat anyone in the group once, and a question mark over whether it is deep enough to do it twice in a week.
The teams that survive this format are the ones whose second string takes points. That is the test promotion created.
The shirts
Türkiye’s shirt sits alongside France’s in this group — both are in stock with printing made to order.
Spain 2026 Home Winners Shirt
2026-2027 France Home Shirt (Upamecano 4)
2026-2027 Germany Home Shirt (Kimmich 6)
2026-2027 Italy Home Shirt (Dimarco 3)
Related reading
Is Türkiye in League A for the first time?
When do Türkiye play their first League A match?
Who else is in Türkiye’s group?
How does the window work?
What happens to the bottom of the group?
When do Türkiye play France again?
Shop League A shirts
Current home shirts from the teams in the September window — printed names and numbers made to order.
Browse national team jerseys