France will go into Monday’s Belgium Vs France clash without Kylian Mbappe, a significant change for a match that already feels like one of the sharper early tests in Group A1. Both sides opened the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League with wins, but France now have to protect their momentum in Brussels without their captain and leading scorer.
The game at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels kicks off at 8:45pm on Monday, September 28, with France arriving after a 1-0 win over Turkiye and Belgium following a 2-0 victory in Rome against Italy. In a competition built to replace the old cycle of friendlies with meaningful matches, this is exactly the kind of fixture that quickly tells you where a team stands.
France must adjust without Mbappe
The headline issue is simple: Mbappe will miss the match because of a knee injury. That changes the shape of the contest immediately, because France lose the one player most likely to bend the game in their favour with pace, direct running and end product.
That does not mean France travel to Belgium weakened beyond recognition. They still have options in attack, with Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Randal Kolo Muani all available as part of a squad that has already shown it can win without a dominant display. But Mbappe is not just another forward. He is the reference point.
France’s task now is to show that they can keep the same level of control and threat without asking one player to carry the entire burden. That is often the real test in this competition: not simply whether you can win, but whether you can keep winning when the obvious answer is removed.
Belgium have their own reasons to believe
Belgium will look at the fixture and feel they have enough to cause problems, especially at home. They beat Italy 2-0 in Rome to open the group, and that result will have done plenty for confidence. If they can back that up against France, it would give them an early grip on Group A1.
There is also a familiar edge to the meeting. France beat Belgium 2-1 in October 2024 in a Nations League group encounter, with Randal Kolo Muani scoring twice. That result will not decide Monday’s match, but it does underline how tight these meetings can be when both teams arrive with strong squads and clear ambitions.
Belgium’s likely key figures include Kevin De Bruyne and Leandro Trossard, while France will still be expected to lean on the quality of their attacking options even without Mbappe. The balance of the match may come down to which side handles the big moments better rather than which side enjoys the most possession.
The Nations League keeps the stakes honest
This is the point of the UEFA Nations League. Founded in 2018 to cut down on meaningless friendlies, it gives top nations competitive games with promotion and relegation still hanging in the background. That means Belgium Vs France is not just another meeting between familiar names; it is a match with consequences inside the group.
For France, the main question is whether they can show the same authority without their captain. For Belgium, it is whether a home win can establish them as genuine contenders in the group. Either way, the absence of Mbappe adds an extra layer to a fixture that was already set up to matter.
On Monday night in Brussels, the answer will begin to come quickly. France still have enough quality to compete, but without Mbappe they must prove they can be just as decisive when the star is out of the picture.
