Turkey and Iceland are gearing up to face each other in the UEFA Nations League, but the match is at risk of being postponed due to extreme weather conditions. The game, which was scheduled to take place at Laugardalsvollur Stadium in Reykjavik, may be delayed because of a frozen pitch.
Ceyhun Kazancı, Vice President of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), took to social media to provide updates on the situation. He mentioned that there is a 51% chance of the match being postponed due to the icy conditions of the pitch. A meeting has been held to coordinate the next steps, and the referee will assess the field at 5:00 PM local time to make the final decision.
After their recent match against Montenegro, the Turkish team traveled to Reykjavik, where UEFA officials and representatives from the Icelandic Football Federation inspected the field. The low temperatures, around 1 degree Celsius, pose a risk of injury to the players, leading to the need for additional checks and preparations.
If the match is indeed postponed, it is anticipated to be rescheduled for Tuesday, with the new date and time to be decided through discussions between the TFF, the Icelandic Football Federation, and UEFA officials. However, if the game proceeds as planned, kickoff is scheduled for 9:45 AM local time.
The match will be officiated by Polish referee Damian Sylwestrzak, with assistance from his compatriots Paweł Sokolnicki and Bartosz Kaszynski. Turkey has a history of facing Iceland 14 times, with eight losses, three draws, and three wins. In these encounters, Iceland has scored 24 goals against Turkey’s 14. Their last meeting in Izmir resulted in a 3-1 victory for Turkey.
Looking back at Turkey’s football history, the national team has played a total of 634 matches, including 349 official and 285 friendly games. They have secured 247 wins, 149 draws, and 238 losses against opponents from 91 different countries, with most matches taking place in Europe.