Mircea Lucescu, minimal chances to be on the bench in Turkey! What will the FRF announce next?
Article by Sergiu Alexandru – Published Thursday, February 19, 2026, 1:54 p.m. / Updated Thursday, February 19, 2026, 2:01 p.m.
Mircea Lucescu (80 years old) is to return from Brussels and have a meeting with President Răzvan Burleanu and Mihai Stoichiță. According to GSP.ro information, the current selector has minimal chances to be on the bench for the play-off match against Turkey, on March 26.
The Romanian Football Federation announced a few days ago that it will make a decision regarding the technical bench of the national team on February 20, when Mircea Lucescu will transmit exactly what his medical situation is.
After being hospitalized three times at the Bucharest Emergency University Hospital, the national team selector decided to go to Belgium, in Brussels, to Prof. Dr. Ștefan Constantinescu, for a double medical check-up.
Mircea Lucescu, “extremely small chances of him being on the bench”
According to Gazeta Sporturilor information, the chances are minimal that Mircea Lucescu will be on the bench for the play-off match with Turkeyscheduled in Istanbul on March 26. The final decision is to be taken either by Mircea Lucescu or by the FRF, through a press release or a public statement by President Răzvan Burleanu.
“Mr. Lucescu is about to return from Belgium, but at this moment there are extremely small chances that his lordship will be on the technical bench of the first representative team for the match against Turkey. There are medical details that only his lordship knows, but at the moment his health condition continues to be serious”support people close to the technician from within the national team.
Mihai Stoichiță will team up with Jerry Gane and Florin Constantinovici
At this moment, the FRF is facing an extremely delicate moment: the resignation, for medical reasons, of Mircea Lucescu and the appointment of a selector for the play-off matches in March, with Turkey on March 26, then with Kosovo or Slovakia.
Răzvan Burleanu and Mihai Stoichiță
According to the details that GSP.ro has at the moment, the chances of having a full selection team in the play-off matches are limited. This after several trainers would have refused the proposal of “sacrifice” just for the dam!
“The reserve variant taken into account at this moment is Mihai Stoichiță, who will team up with Jerry Gane and Florin Constantinovici, Mircea Lucescu's current seconds”claim authorized sources from the FRF.
Taking into account his age, all this unpleasant medical experience he had to go through, and in order to feel even more confident, he needs to seek a second medical opinion. However, I agreed with him that by February 20 we could make a firm decision. In the sense of being sure that we have a selector who is in optimal conditions to prepare these very important matches for the Romanian national team
Răzvan Burleanu, president of the FRF
Romania plays Turkey in less than two months
The national team of Romania will meet the national team of Turkey on March 26, in Istanbul, in the semi-final of the qualifying round for the 2026 World Championship.
If it passes Turkey, Romania will play in the final for the WC with the winner of the match Slovakia – Kosovo, on March 31. In case of a double success next month, Romania will be assigned to group D at the World Cup, alongside the USA (one of the organizing countries), Australia and Paraguay.
