Bulgaria vs Turkey Preview, prediction, lineups, betting tips & odds | 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

The Bizim Çocuklar dominated the proceedings when these sides last faced each other.

The Bulgaria national football team are all set to battle it out against the Turkey national football team for their FIFA World Cup qualifier in the European region. Vasil Levski National Stadium is all set to witness this interesting clash.

The Lions haven’t been able to deliver their top performances as of now. They have lost both of their first two World Cup qualifying games and are in desperate need of a win here. The upcoming contest is not going to be an easy one for the Bulgaria national football team, but they will surely put up a strong fight.

The Turkey national football team are coming after getting thrashed at the hands of Spain in their previous fixture of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. They will also be looking for a win here, which might keep them under a bit of pressure from the start. The Bizim Çocuklar do have quality players in their squad, and this is going to be a big advantage for them.

Kick-off:

• Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
• Stadium: Vasil Levski National Stadium
• Date: Sunday, October 12
• Kick-off Time: 12:15 a.m. IST (Saturday, October 11; 06:45 p.m. GMT/ 02:45 p.m. ET/ 11:45 a.m. PT)
• Referee: TBD
• VAR: In use

Form:

Bulgaria: L-D-L-L-L

Turkey: W-W-L-W-L

Players to Watch

Vladimir Nikolov (Bulgaria)

The 24-year-old forward has a crucial role to play in the attacking front for his side. He will be looking to step up so that he can help the Bulgaria national football team stand a chance against Turkiye. Vladimir Nikolov will be looking to be impactful on the field this time around.

Arda Guler (Turkey)

Arda Guler recently clinched the award for the Best Under-23 Player in September after his top-notch performances in the LaLiga. The young midfielder now shifts the focus towards the Turkey national football team, where he is going to be an essential part of the squad. From controlling the midfield to scoring goals, Guler is going to create issues for the opponent’s defence.

💎 @10ardaguler 💎🏆 @LaLigaEN Best Under-23 Player in September pic.twitter.com/YIX38EYwTb

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) October 4, 2025

Match Facts

• Bulgaria have failed to score any goals in their last three matches.
• Turkiye have won the previous two matches against the visitors.
• The Bizim Çocuklar have won three of their last five games.

Bulgaria vs Turkey: Betting Tips and Odds

• Turkey to win @27/100 bet365
• Kenan Yildiz to score @6/1 Quinnbet
• Goals over 3.5 @6/4 Boyle Sports

Injury and Team News

All of the team members for both sides are fit and ready to be in action.

2026 FIFA Dünya Kupası Elemeleri’nde 11 Ekim’de deplasmanda Bulgaristan ve 14 Ekim’de Kocaeli’de Gürcistan’la karşılaşacak A Millî Takımımızın aday kadrosu açıklandı. #BizimÇocuklar 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/limSqeNdlY

— Türkiye #BizimÇocuklar 🇹🇷 (@MilliTakimlar) October 3, 2025

Head-to-Head

Total matches: 23

Bulgaria won: 10

Turkey won: 7

Draws: 6

Predicted Lineups

Bulgaria predicted lineup (5-4-1)

Vutsov (GK); Turitsov, Chernev, Bozhinov, Tsenov, Popov; Petkov, Gruev, Kraev, Kirilov; Nikolov

Turley predicted lineup (4-2-3-1)

Bayindir (GK); Müldür, Demiral, Bardakci, Elmali; Yuksek, Çalhanoglu; Akgün, Guler, Yildiz; Aktürkoglu

Match Prediction

This is going to be an interesting and entertaining contest between these teams. We predict, the Turkey national football team are likely to come out on top against Bulgaria in their upcoming World Cup qualifier.

Prediction: Bulgaria 1-3 Turkey

Telecast Details

India: Star Sports Network, SonyLIV

UK: Prime Video UK

USA: Disney+, Fox Sports, Fubo TV, ViX

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