Why France faces Turkey in Izmit for Nations League clash
France will open their Nations League campaign against Turkey in Izmit on Friday, with Turkish authorities choosing a smaller venue to prioritize security.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Author: Кирилл Венедиктов
France travels to Izmit on Thursday ahead of their Nations League opener against Turkey, scheduled for Friday at 20:45. The choice of the 34,000-capacity stadium, located over an hour away from Istanbul, has been a topic of discussion within the French camp.
Initially, some within the French delegation speculated that the decision might be linked to Zinédine Zidane's presence, aiming to shield the new coach from the intense atmosphere of Istanbul or a repeat of the hostile environment in Konya in 2019, where France suffered a 2-0 defeat.
However, Turkish authorities have provided a different explanation focused on safety. Following a disappointing World Cup campaign where the team was eliminated in the group stage, Turkish officials feared a strong negative reaction from supporters. They sought to avoid the risk of significant public disturbances that could occur in larger Istanbul arenas or major regional stadiums.
The venue chosen is the Izmit Stadium, opened in 2018 and the home ground of Kocaelispor. The club was promoted to the Turkish top flight two years ago and currently sits 4th in the league. Their squad includes several players with French experience, such as Massadio Haïdara, Florian Ayé, and Tanguy Zoukrou.