Bulgaria vs Turkey prediction and probable lineups – October 11, 2025
On Saturday, October 11, as part of the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, Group E will see Bulgaria take on Turkey. The match kicks off at 20:45 Central European Time. Let’s break down the odds and pick a winner for this intriguing clash.
Bulgaria
The Bulgarian national team is going through a rough patch. Recent results have been modest, to say the least. In the Nations League, Bulgaria played in League C and finished second in their group, but failed to move up after losing a playoff against Ireland. As a result, Bulgaria remains in League C for the next season.
World Cup qualifying hasn’t been any kinder. Bulgaria has played two matches so far and lost both by the same scoreline, 0-3—first to Spain, then to Georgia. Currently, they sit at the bottom of the group table, and frankly, their chances of progressing are slim.
Their last victory came quite a while ago—last year against Luxembourg, 1-0. In their most recent seven matches, Bulgaria has suffered five defeats and managed just two draws.
Regarding head-to-head meetings with Turkey, there have been no official competitive games between the teams. Historically, they've only played three friendlies, with Turkey holding a slight edge.
Turkey
The Turkish national team has been in impressive form in recent years. After a brilliant Euro 2024 campaign that saw them reach the quarterfinals, Turkey continued their strong run in the Nations League. In League B, they finished second in their group and then convincingly beat Hungary 6-1 on aggregate in the playoffs, earning promotion for the next season.
As for World Cup qualifying, Turkey got off to a decent start: an away win over Georgia (3-2), but then suffered a heavy 0-6 defeat to Spain in their second match. At the moment, Turkey sits third in the group table, level on points with Georgia but with a much worse goal difference.
In the upcoming match, Turkey is the clear favorite. Beating the group underdog is crucial for the Turks to keep their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup finals alive.
Probable lineups
- Bulgaria: Vutsov, Velkovski, Bozhinov, Khristov, Tsenov, Gruev, Kraev, Kirilov, Chochev, Petkov, Nikolov.
- Turkey: Cakir, Muldur, Demiral, Bardakci, Elmali, Calhanoglu, Yuksek, Akgun, Guler, Yildiz, Akturkoglu.
Interesting facts and head-to-head stats
- Bulgaria has lost 5 of their last 6 matches.
- Bulgaria’s last 6 matches have all featured over 2.5 goals.
- Bulgaria conceded first in 3 of their last 4 matches.
- Turkey has won 3 of their last 4 away games.
- 6 of Turkey’s last 7 matches have seen over 2.5 goals.
Bulgaria vs Turkey match prediction
The teams come into this fixture in very different shape. Bulgaria are struggling—losing most of their recent matches, looking unconvincing, and have failed to score in their last three outings. Turkey, on the other hand, look much stronger, boast excellent squad depth, and are in good form. After a heavy defeat to Spain, the Turks will be eager to bounce back and will be fully focused on picking up crucial points. My pick for this match is Turkey to win with a -1.5 handicap at odds of 1.71.
