France vs Belgium kicks off on 5 Oct 2026 at 14:45 EST and 18:45 GMT.
Zizou aims for a first home win as boss
France has to settle for a 1-1 draw against Italy in Zinedine Zidane's first home match as Les Bleus boss. Michael Olise's stunning strike was cancelled out by Alessandro Bastoni, who pounced on an error from Milan midfielder Adrien Rabiot. France also finished the match with 10 men after Dayot Upamecano's late second yellow card. France have won their last six meetings with Belgium but will be without injured talisman Kylian Mbappe.
Getty ImagesRed Devils put Greece to the sword
Belgium, meanwhile, were far too strong for an in-form Turkey side, beating the Turks 3-0 thanks to goals from Romelu Lukaku and a Kevin De Bruyne brace. It was a welcome result for the Belgians after their narrow 1-0 defeat to France, following a 2-0 win over Italy. Watch out for talented 21-year-old PSG star Mika Godts, scorer against the Italians on matchday 1.
Getty ImagesTeam news & squads
France vs Belgium Probable lineups
Manager
- Z. Zidane
Zinedine Zidane has not confirmed his probable lineup ahead of the match, and no injury or suspension information has been made available for France at this stage. There is, however, a concern over Kylian Mbappé, who suffered a knee hyperextension during the international window, with his club Real Madrid monitoring his recovery closely. Updates on his availability are expected closer to kick-off.
Mark van Bommel has similarly not released a projected XI for Belgium, and no injuries or suspensions have been confirmed for the away side. Further team news will be added as it becomes available.
Form
France come into this fixture having won both of their Nations League matches, beating Türkiye 1-0 away from home before following that up with a 1-0 victory over Belgium in Brussels. Across their last five matches in all competitions, they have recorded three wins and two defeats, with those losses coming against Spain and England at the World Cup, where they conceded a combined eight goals in the two knockout-round exits. They have since tightened up considerably, keeping back-to-back clean sheets in the Nations League.
Belgium have also won two of their last five, with their most recent Nations League outing a 2-0 victory over Italy before the defeat to France. They lost to Spain at the World Cup and arrive here having won two and lost two of their last four competitive matches, with their defensive record showing vulnerability against top opposition.
Head-to-Head Record
Head to Head
The most recent meeting between the two sides came just days ago, when France won 1-0 in Brussels in the UEFA Nations League, with Olise's late strike proving the difference. Across the last five head-to-head fixtures, France have held the upper hand, winning four of those encounters to Belgium's one, with the only Belgian win coming in a Nations League match. France have been particularly consistent in this fixture, winning the previous Nations League meeting on home soil 2-0 and also edging past Belgium 1-0 at Euro 2024.
Standings
In UEFA Nations League Group 1, France currently sit top of the table, with Belgium in second place.