Belgium vs France: TV channel, live stream, team news & prediction
Belgium and France go head to head in a UEFA Nations League semi-final on neutral soil in Italy, in what is a titanic meeting between FIFA’s current number one ranked international team and the reigning World Cup champions.
The winner will progress to the Nations League final to face either Italy or Spain, who meet in the first semi-final 24 hours earlier. None of the four competing nations reached the inaugural finals tournament two years ago.
This is everything you need to know about the game...
How to watch Belgium vs France on TV/live stream
What time is kick off? Thursday 7 October, 19:45 (BST)/20:45 (CEST)
Where is it being played? Juventus Stadium, Turin
TV channel? Sky Sports Football (UK), fubo TV (USA)
Referee? Daniel Siebert (GER)
VAR? Pol van Boekel (NED)
Belgium team news
Leandro Trossard and Hans Vanaken have both begun the club season in fine form for Brighton and Club Brugge, and are pushing for starting places as a result.
Coach Roberto Martinez will have to make a number of selection decisions, including whether to keep faith with Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans.
The squad continues to pretty much pick itself, with five players on more than 100 caps and two others over 80.
France team news
Didier Deschamps was unable to call up N'Golo Kante after the Chelsea midfielder tested positive for COVID-19. The midfielder also had to to withdraw from the squad in September due to injury.
It is an inexperienced midfield group. Paul Pogba and Adrien Rabiot are the only midfielders with more than a handful of caps - Aurelien Tchouameni, Jordan Veretout and Matteo Guendouzi have made just five senior international appearances between them.
Deschamps appears to be looking ahead to the next chapter, with only three of the outfield players in the squad (Karim Benzema, Antoine Griezmann and Wissam Ben Yedder) aged older than 28.
Belgium vs France predicted lineups
Belgium (3-4-3): Courtois; Alderweireld, Denayer, Vertonghen; Meunier, Tielemans, Witsel, Carrasco; Hazard, De Bruyne; Lukaku
France (3-4-3): Lloris; Kounde, Varane, L.Hernandez; Pavard, Rabiot, Pogba, T. Hernandez; Mbappe, Benzema, Griezmann
Belgium vs France head-to-head record
Belgium and France is one of the most common international fixtures out there, with 74 meetings between these neighbouring countries - France haven't played anyone else more often. However, these games, which started in 1904, have been much less frequent since the 1960s.
It is Belgium that edges the all-time record thanks to 30 wins compared to France's 25.
Their only competitive fixture of the last 35 years came in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup when Samuel Umtiti scored the only goal to put France into the final. Belgium edged a seven-goal thriller friendly in 2015, while other friendlies in 2011 and 2013 both finished 0-0.
Belgium vs France score prediction
France may have lost only one of the last 27 games they have played since June 2019, but Les Bleus have struggled to win recently. Five of their last six matches have ended in a draw, including a 3-3 tie with Switzerland at Euro 2020 that they went on to lose on penalties.
This is a French squad in a degree of transition and it hasn’t helped their consistency.
Belgium are older but more consistent. They were impressive against Denmark and Portugal at Euro 2020, losing only to eventual champions Italy, and have won three back-to-back 2022 World Cup qualifiers since.
Belgium’s golden generation is rapidly expiring and while this is not the World Cup or a European Championship, it still counts as a trophy that they will be keen to win.
Prediction: Belgium 2-1 France
For more from Jamie Spencer, follow him on Twitter and Facebook!