Friday saw both DR Congo and Belgium in action but no sign of Matias Fernandez-Pardo or Yoane Wissa.
The two Newcastle United players missing from both the starting elevens and subs benches.
DR Congo lost 2-0 to Uganda in Friday’s friendly match but seemingly no concerns for Newcastle United.
DR Congo resting the senior players who had won the two AFCON qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea. They (DR Congo) actually changing the entire starting eleven from that second AFCON group qualifier.
Yoane Wissa scored in both those group qualifier victories and also got an assist in the Equatorial Guinea match.
Wissa has become a very important player for Newcastle United this season, so great news that he is now getting a bit of rest ahead of rejoining NUFC training. DR Congo play Uganda in another friendly on Monday but once again none of the usual first team players are expected to be involved.
A very impressive 3-0 win for Belgium over Turkey at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne in Liege, De Bruyne scoring twice and Lukaku the other goal. However, no Matias Fernandez-Pardo in the matchday squad.
However, the media in Belgium reporting that there were no injury concerns and a case of simply the Newcastle player one of a handful left out due to the fact that you’re only allowed to name a maximum of 23 players for a Nations League game. Matias Fernandez-Pardo had appeared off the bench in the win over Italy and defeat to France but others given a chance for this game against Turkey.
With this international break covering four matches for most teams, along with many other countries a case of Belgium naming a bigger squad than normal, so always the case that some couldn’t be included in each matchday squad.
This is the September and October 2026 international schedule for Newcastle United players:
Thursday 24 September
Ivory Coast 2 Ghana 0
Bazoumana Toure coming off the bench in the 86th minute with the score already 2-0 in this AFCON group qualifier.
DR Congo 2 Equatorial Guinea 0
Yoane Wissa scoring in the 72nd minute to ensure the win in this AFCON group qualifier.
Friday 25 September
Italy 0 Belgium 2
Matias Fernandez-Pardo coming off the bench on 83 minutes in this Nations League match to help see out the win.
England U21s 4 Kazakhstan U21s 2
Lewis Miley and unused sub as the young England side win this European Championship Qualifier.
Iceland U21s 1 France U21s 1
Aladji Bamba an unused sub but Ewen Jaouen played the full game as France took an early lead but conceded in the second half, so a draw in this European Championship Qualifier.
Netherlands U21s 0 Norway U21s 0
Sean Steur making his first ever Under 21s appearance as an 83rd minute sub in this goalless European Championship Qualifier.
Saturday 26 September
England 2 Spain 3
Lewis Hall an unused sub as England lose this Nations League five goal thriller.
Czech Republic 1 Croatia 2
Defeat for Lukas Hornicek and his international teammates in this Nations League clash. The Newcastle United keeper conceding in the 47th and 77th minutes, either side of a 54th minute equaliser for the Czech Republic.
South Africa 2 Guinea 1
Summer signing Ousmane Diabate came off the bench for the second half with his team 1-0 down, Guinea equalised but still ended up losing this AFCON group qualifier.
Monday 28 September
Zimbabwe 1 DR Congo 2
Yoane Wissa scored the first and got an assist for the second as DR Congo were 2-0 at half-time in this AFCON qualifier. Zimbabwe scoring a consolation in added time.
Belgium 0 France 1
Matias Fernandez-Pardo an 85th minute sub in this Nations League match, which saw Michael Olise score a superb 88th minute solo effort to win the game.
Tuesday 29 September
Estonia U21s 0 France U21s 2
Aladji Bamba and Ewen Jaouen both played the full match in this Under 21s European Championship group qualifier win.
Somalia 0 Ivory Coast 2
Bazoumana Toure coming on as a 65th minute sub in this AFCON qualifier. Ivory Coast battered Somalia but it wasn’t until the 89th minute when the Newcastle winger opened them up and Gboho scored when Toure’s cross could only be blocked. The United star then grabbing a goal of his own when a shot came back off the post and he smashed the rebound into the roof of the net.
Czech Republic 0 England 2
Lewis Hall outstanding in this victory against a Czech side that were a man down after 25 minutes. Anthony Gordon just pipped this United star to the man of the match award as they combined superbly down the left side. Less said about most of their teammates the better! Gordon opening the scoring with a very clever header, Kane then taking advantage of a free shot from ten yards out as the ball fell kindly. Newcastle’s Lukas Hornicek watching this Nations League clash from the bench.
Thursday 1 October
Guinea 1 Kenya 0
Ousmane Diabate played the full match as Guinea won this AFCON group qualifier, great to see the Newcastle United teenager getting so much first team football for his national side and in Turkey at his loan club.
Germany 2 Serbia 0
Jurgen Klopp playing a completely changed starting 11 after the disastrous home defeat to Greece. Malick Thiaw and Nick Woltemade both having very good games in this dominant Nations League victory.
Friday 2 October
DR Congo 0 Uganda 2
Yoane Wissa missing from the squad for this friendly, the NUFC star and other senior players not taking part after their two AFCON qualifiers.
Belgium 3 Turkey 0
A very convincing win for Belgium but Matias Fernandez-Pardo not named in the matchday squad. However, the media in Belgium reporting that there were no injury concerns and simply the Newcastle player one of a handful of players left out due to the fact that you’re only allowed to name a maximum of 23 players for a Nations League game.
Saturday 3 October
Ivory Coast v Cameroon (Bazoumana Toure) Friendly
Croatia v England (Lewis Hall) Nations League
Spain v Czech Republic (Lukas Hornicek) Nations League
France U21s v Luxembourg U21s (Aladji Bamba, Ewen Jaouen) European Championship Qualifier
Sunday 4 October
Greece v Germany (Malick Thiaw (and Nick Woltemade)) Nations League
Monday 5 October
Uganda v DR Congo (Yoane Wissa) Friendly
France v Belgium (Matias Fernandez-Pardo) Nations League
Tuesday 6 October
England v Czech Republic (Lewis Hall, Lukas Hornicek) Nations League
Republic of Ireland U21s v England U21s (Lewis Miley) European Championship Qualifier
France U21s v Switzerland U21s (Aladji Bamba, Ewen Jaouen) European Championship Qualifier
Netherlands U21s v Bosnia and Herzegovina U21s (Sean Steur) European Championship Qualifier