The opening round of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League continues on Friday the 25th of September with two standout League A fixtures on the programme. Italy welcome Belgium while Turkiye host France in Group 1.
League A features 16 nations divided into four groups of four, with each side facing the other teams in its group at home and away. The top two nations from every group advance to the two legged quarter-finals in March 2027, with the four winners progressing to the Nations League Finals in June.
The teams finishing bottom are automatically relegated to League B, while those ending third enter relegation playoffs against the League B runners-up. We take a closer look at both opening Group 1 encounters from a betting perspective below.
Italy vs Belgium – Click here to bet
Recent Form
Italy return to competitive action after missing out on the 2026 World Cup. They beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in March but then suffered a 2-1 defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina, ending their qualification hopes.
The Italians have since recorded consecutive 1-0 friendly victories away to Luxembourg and Greece. Those results provide some encouragement ahead of their Nations League opener, although Belgium will present a considerably tougher attacking challenge.
Belgium enjoyed a productive World Cup campaign before their run ended with a narrow 2-1 defeat to Spain. They defeated New Zealand 5-1, Senegal 3-2 and the United States 4-1 in their preceding three matches.
Belgium scored 13 goals across those four fixtures, demonstrating their ability to create chances against a range of opponents. They will now look to carry that attacking form into their opening Nations League match.
Head-to-Head
Italy have won four of the last six meetings between the nations, with Belgium claiming one victory and the remaining encounter ending level.
The sides met twice during the previous Nations League campaign in 2024. They drew 2-2 in Italy before the Italians secured a 1-0 victory away to Belgium in the return fixture.
Match Odds (1X2)
Italy: 2.25
Draw: 3.65
Belgium: 3.25
Verdict
Italy have the stronger recent head-to-head record and home advantage, but their two June victories were both narrow. Belgium arrive after scoring freely at the World Cup and should be capable of testing the Italian defence. This looks a closely matched contest although Belgium’s recent attacking performances make the away side an appealing selection to pull off a minor upset.
BET: Belgium to Win at 3.25
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Turkiye vs France – Click here to bet
Recent Form
Turkiye produced mixed results in their final World Cup fixtures. They lost 2-0 to Australia and 1-0 to Paraguay before finishing with a 3-2 victory over the United States.
That win showed their ability to respond after two difficult matches. Turkiye will hope home advantage helps them make another positive start although they face a France side that reached the latter stages of the tournament.
France defeated Norway 4-1, Sweden 3-0, Paraguay 1-0 and Morocco 2-0 during their World Cup run. Their campaign then ended with defeats to Spain and England in the semi-finals and 3rd place playoff.
France scored in five of those six matches and kept three clean sheets. Despite the disappointing finish, their performances over the course of the tournament underline the quality they bring into this Nations League clash.
Head-to-Head
France have won four of the last six meetings between the nations, while Turkiye have one victory and the other encounter ended in a draw.
Turkiye beat France 2-0 at home in June 2019 before earning a 1-1 draw away later that year, although the sides have not met since.
Match Odds (1X2)
Türkiye: 6.50
Draw: 5.00
France: 1.47
Verdict
France showed greater consistency during the World Cup and won four consecutive matches before facing Spain and England. Turkiye should provide resistance on home soil, although France have enough quality to begin their campaign with a victory and I am backing them to win while keeping the home team from scoring.
BET: Match Result and Both Teams to Score – France and No at 2.80
Note: All prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.
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