Belgium vs France Preview

Match Detail	Information
Match	Belgium vs France
Competition	UEFA Nations League 2026/27 – League A, Group A1
Date	28 September 2026
Venue	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium
Kick-off	12:15 AM IST, 29 September

Match Preview

Belgium host France in one of the standout fixtures of Matchday 2 in the UEFA Nations League League A, Group A1. Both teams began the competition with victories: Belgium defeated Italy 2-0 in Rome, while France recorded a 1-0 win against Türkiye.

The match also brings two new coaches together, with Mark van Bommel leading Belgium and Zinédine Zidane taking charge of France. Belgium will have home advantage, while France will look to continue their winning start.

Team Form

Belgium: Belgium's latest competitive result was a 2-0 away victory against Italy. Their recent record also includes three wins during the 2026 World Cup group and knockout stages before their 2-1 defeat to Spain.

France: France opened the Nations League with a 1-0 victory over Türkiye. Their recent World Cup results included wins against Paraguay and Morocco, followed by defeats to Spain and England.

Team News

France will be without captain Kylian Mbappé, who is sidelined with a knee injury suffered during the opening Nations League match against Türkiye. Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué are among the attacking options available to France.

Belgium will rely on the experience of Kevin De Bruyne, who impressed during the 2-0 victory over Italy. The official UEFA match information lists Romelu Lukaku, Loïs Openda, Dodi Lukébakio and Charles De Ketelaere among Belgium's attacking options.

Key Players to Watch

• Kevin De Bruyne – Belgium: His creativity and passing can be important against France's midfield.
• Romelu Lukaku – Belgium: His physical presence gives Belgium an important option in the attacking third.
• Michael Olise – France: With Mbappé unavailable, Olise could have an increased attacking role.
• Ousmane Dembélé – France: His pace and ability to create chances can trouble the Belgian defence.
• Mike Maignan – France: The experienced goalkeeper could have an important role against Belgium's attack.

Head-to-Head

France have won the most recent five meetings between the sides, including a 2-1 Nations League victory in October 2024 and a 1-0 win at UEFA EURO 2024. UEFA's records also show Belgium's last competitive victory over France came in the 1982 World Cup qualifying campaign.

Tactical Battle

Belgium are likely to use their home advantage while looking to create opportunities through De Bruyne and their attacking players. Their ability to transition quickly could be important against France.

France may look to control possession and use the movement of Olise, Dembélé and Doué to compensate for Mbappé's absence. The midfield battle will be particularly important, with both teams possessing technically gifted players.

Match Prediction

Belgium and France both enter the match with three points. Belgium's home advantage and recent win over Italy provide confidence, while France have quality across the squad despite Mbappé's absence.

Predicted Score: Belgium 1-2 France

Conclusion

Belgium vs France is one of the headline fixtures of the second matchday in Nations League Group A1. Both teams have made winning starts, setting up an important early encounter in the group. With De Bruyne leading Belgium's midfield and France possessing several attacking alternatives, the match should provide a competitive contest in Brussels.