The National Team 2026 FIFA World Cup Group Stage

The Türkiye national football team qualified for the play-off stage after finishing second in Group E of the 2024-25 UEFA qualifying format with 13 points. In the play-off semi-final, the team defeated Romania, and in the final, they beat Kosovo, both matches won by a single goal. This secured Türkiye's qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a 24-year absence. The tournament will be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July 2026, and the Türkiye national team will compete in Group D alongside the United States, Paraguay, and Australia.

The Türkiye national football team competed in Group E of the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers alongside Spain, Georgia, and Bulgaria. In the group stage, Türkiye played eight matches, recording four wins, one draw, and three losses, accumulating 13 points. They finished second in the group behind Spain, who earned 16 points, thereby earning a place in the play-off stage.

• Türkiye National Team 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers Group Matches
• FIFA 2026 World Cup European Qualifiers Play-off Draw
• 2026 World Cup Play-off Semi-final: Türkiye vs Romania
• 2026 World Cup Play-off Final: Türkiye vs Kosovo

In the play-off Path C semi-final on 26 March 2026 in Istanbul, Türkiye hosted Romania and secured a 1-0 victory thanks to a goal by Ferdi Kadıoğlu in the 53rd minute. In the play-off final on 31 March 2026 at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina, Kosovo, the Türkiye national team won 1-0 with a goal by Kerem Aktürkoğlu in the 53rd minute, earning their ticket to the 2026 World Cup and being placed in Group D.

Following the group draw held on 5 December 2025 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, the Türkiye national team was drawn into Group D alongside the other three teams following their successful completion of the play-off stage. The three confirmed teams in Group D are the United States, Paraguay, and Australia, with the fourth spot reserved for the winner of Play-off Path C. Türkiye’s victory in this path finalized the group composition.

According to the schedule released by the Turkish Football Federation, the Türkiye national team will play its three group stage matches on the following dates:

It has been announced that the Türkiye national team’s preparatory camp will be held at the TFF Hasan Doğan National Teams Training and Education Facility. According to the published training schedule, the team will conduct its preparations at the facility from 22 May to 31 May 2026. On Tuesday, 2 June 2026, the team will depart from Istanbul (IST) at 13:30 local time bound for Fort Lauderdale (FLL). Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA has been confirmed as the team’s camp base.

A press conference will be held on Sunday, 31 May 2026 at 14:15 at the TFF Hasan Doğan National Teams Training and Education Facility.

The Turkish Football Federation announced on 18 May 2026 the 35-player expanded squad selected by Head Coach Vincenzo Montella.

• Altay Bayındır
• Ersin Destanoğlu
• Mert Günok
• Muhammed Şengezer
• Uğurcan Çakır

• Abdülkerim Bardakçı
• Ahmetcan Kaplan
• Çağlar Söyüncü
• Eren Elmalı
• Ferdi Kadıoğlu
• Merih Demiral
• Mert Müldür
• Mustafa Eskihellaç
• Ozan Kabak
• Samet Akaydın
• Yusuf Akçiçek
• Zeki Çelik

• Atakan Karazor
• Demir Ege Tıknaz
• Hakan Çalhanoğlu
• İsmail Yüksek
• Kaan Ayhan
• Orkun Kökçü
• Salih Özcan

• Aral Şimşir
• Arda Güler
• Barış Alper Yılmaz
• Yunus Akgün
• Can Uzun
• Deniz Gül
• İrfan Can Kahveci
• Kenan Yıldız
• Kerem Aktürkoğlu
• Oğuz Aydın
• Yusuf Sarı

^{Turkey-North Macedonia match infographic (AA)}

An official preparation match was held between the Turkey national football team and the North Macedonia national football team at the Chobani Stadium in Istanbul’s Kadıköy district as part of the preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The match kicked off at 20:30 and ended with a 4-0 victory for Turkey. This match marked Turkey’s first preparation game ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament.

This encounter is recorded as the 650th match in the 103-year history of the Turkey national football team. Prior to this match, Turkey had played a total of 649 matches, including 362 official and 287 friendly games, achieving 257 wins, 151 draws and 241 losses, with one win awarded by default. The national team scored a total of 897 goals and conceded 926 goals across these matches. This was also the 32nd match for Italian head coach Vincenzo Montella in charge of the national team. Under Montella’s leadership, Turkey previously recorded 18 wins, 8 losses and 5 draws in 31 matches.

This match marked the ninth meeting between the two national teams in history. Of the previous eight encounters, four were played in North Macedonia, three in Turkey and one at a neutral venue; four were official matches and four were friendlies. Turkey won five of those matches, drew two and lost one, scoring 14 goals and conceding nine. The most recent meeting between the two sides took place nine years ago in Skopje during the tenure of head coach Fatih Terim and ended in a 0-0 draw.

Additionally, this match was Turkey’s first appearance at Kadıköy after a gap of 1,696 days. The national team’s last match at the stadium was on 8 October 2021, during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Norway, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

The Turkey national team continued its 2026 FIFA World Cup training camp at the Hasan Doğan National Teams Training and Education Facility. Ahead of the match, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Mustafa Eskihellaç and Kenan Yıldız were dealing with minor injuries and remained under medical treatment. Team captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu trained separately from the squad.

The 35-player preliminary squad selected by head coach Vincenzo Montella included the following players:

• Goalkeepers: Altay Bayındır, Ersin Destanoğlu, Mert Günok, Muhammed Şengezer, Uğurcan Çakır.
• Defenders: Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Eren Elmalı, Ahmetcan Kaplan, Çağlar Söyüncü, Mert Müldür, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Merih Demiral, Mustafa Eskihellaç, Ozan Kabak, Samet Akaydin, Yusuf Akçiçek, Zeki Çelik.
• Midfielders: Atakan Karazor, Demir Ege Tıknaz, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, İsmail Yüksek, Kaan Ayhan, Orkun Kökçü, Salih Özcan.
• Forwards: Aral Şimşir, Arda Güler, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Yunus Akgün, Can Uzun, Deniz Gül, İrfan Can Kahveci, Kenan Yıldız, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Oğuz Aydın, Yusuf Sarı.

^{Turkey’s starting eleven (AA)}

North Macedonia was chosen as the opponent for this preparation match primarily due to tactical similarities with Australia, Turkey’s first opponent in the World Cup group stage, particularly in their use of a five-man defensive system. The other teams in the group are Paraguay and the United States. The match, officiated by referee Jose Luis Munuera, also served to test new rules introduced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) for the World Cup.

The match began with Turkey applying an aggressive, attacking style. In the first minute, Can Uzun received a pass from Orkun Kökçü on the left diagonal of the penalty area and shot, but the ball struck the crossbar and rebounded back into play. Shortly after this attack, in the fourth minute, Orkun Kökçü struck a powerful shot from just outside the six-yard box after Oğuz Aydın’s cross from the right flank, sending the ball into the net to give Turkey a 1-0 lead.

^{Turkey-North Macedonia match (AA)}

In the 16th minute, a swift counterattack began in midfield. Can Uzun delivered a pass to Eren Elmalı on the left flank, who ran to the byline and returned the ball to the center. Can Uzun then fired a precise shot from the left diagonal to make it 2-0.

After the ball went out of bounds in the 21st minute, North Macedonia’s goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski and defenders delayed their restart, triggering the immediate application of a new IFAB rule designed to speed up play and reduce time-wasting. Referee Jose Luis Munuera awarded a corner kick to Turkey. Near the end of the first half, in the 44th minute, North Macedonia launched an attack. Bojan Miovski delivered a cross from the left side of the penalty area, and Ezgjan Alioski, after beating Ozan Kabak, fired a dangerous shot, but goalkeeper Altay Bayındır made a timely intervention to deny the goal. In stoppage time (45+3), Oğuz Aydın received the ball on the right flank, broke free from his marker inside the penalty area and shot, but the ball rebounded off the goalkeeper. The first half ended with Turkey leading 2-0.

^{Turkey-North Macedonia match (AA)}

Turkey maintained the same attacking tempo in the second half. In the 53rd minute, Can Uzun delivered a precise long pass into the penalty area, and Deniz Gül headed it into the net to extend the lead to 3-0. In the 70th minute, Arda Güler delivered an elegant backheel pass to İrfan Can Kahveci on the right flank, who cut inside and squared the ball for Barış Alper Yılmaz to strike a clean shot and seal the match at 4-0.

In the 7th minute, Eren Elmalı received a head injury during a challenge for a high ball. He continued playing for approximately 20 more minutes and provided the assist for Turkey’s second goal. However, due to complaints of dizziness, he was substituted as a precaution and replaced by Zeki Çelik. Upon Elmalı’s exit, Mert Müldür moved to the left-back position while Zeki Çelik took over at right-back. After medical checks at the hospital, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) publicly confirmed that Elmalı had no serious health concerns.

Individually, the match featured several milestones. Twenty-year-old Can Uzun, playing for Eintracht Frankfurt, scored his first goal and provided an assist for Turkey’s senior national team. Deniz Gül, playing for Porto, netted his second international goal in his seventh appearance for Turkey (his first came against Spain). Additionally, Muhammed Şengezer of RAMS Başakşehir and Aral Şimşir of Midtjylland entered the match in the 63rd minute, replacing Altay Bayındır and Can Uzun respectively, marking their first-ever appearances for the Turkey senior national team. In the second half, Real Madrid’s Arda Güler, who warmed up on the sidelines, received enthusiastic support from the crowd at Chobani Stadium and responded with waves of appreciation.

In the post-match press conference, Turkey’s head coach Vincenzo Montella expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance and particularly praised the integration of young players such as Can Uzun, Aral Şimşir and Deniz Gül. Montella stated that the coaching staff aims to bring players like Kenan Yıldız, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Arda Güler and Ferdi Kadıoğlu, who were absent or dealing with minor issues, to peak physical condition before the first World Cup match.

^{Vincenzo Montella (AA)}

North Macedonia’s head coach Goce Sedloski acknowledged Turkey’s deserved victory and accepted responsibility for the 4-0 defeat. He noted that his team is undergoing a restructuring phase, having failed to score in their last four matches, and emphasized efforts to address defensive weaknesses. North Macedonian players Ezgjan Alioski and sporting director Goran Pandev praised Turkey’s potential and expressed their support for Turkey’s World Cup campaign. Turkey’s goalkeeper Altay Bayındır highlighted that the team has had a strong preparation period, reiterated their goal of winning the trophy, and affirmed their readiness to quickly adapt to the climate conditions in the United States, where the matches will be played.

Following the North Macedonia match, Turkey’s training camp will continue in the state of Florida, United States. The national team is scheduled to play a second preparation match against Venezuela at the Inter Miami FC Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 01:00 Turkey time on the final day of camp, before relocating to the main training base in Mesa, Arizona, ahead of their opening group match against Australia.

The 26-player final squad for the Türkiye national team, determined by technical director Vincenzo Montella, was announced to the sports public on 2 June 2026. The players included in the tournament squad and their respective clubs are categorized below according to their on-field positions:

• Goalkeepers: Altay Bayındır (Manchester United), Mert Günok (Fenerbahçe), and Uğurcan Çakır (Galatasaray) have been selected as goalkeepers.
• Defenders: The defenders comprising the backline are Abdülkerim Bardakcı (Galatasaray), Eren Elmalı (Galatasaray), Çağlar Söyüncü (Fenerbahçe), Mert Müldür (Fenerbahçe), Ferdi Kadıoğlu (Brighton), Merih Demiral (Al-Ahli), Ozan Kabak (Hoffenheim), Samet Akaydin (Çaykur Rizespor), and Zeki Çelik (Roma).
• Midfielders: The midfielders selected for the final squad are Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Inter), İsmail Yüksek (Fenerbahçe), Kaan Ayhan (Galatasaray), Orkun Kökçü (Beşiktaş), and Salih Özcan (Borussia Dortmund).
• Forwards: The forwards are Arda Güler (Real Madrid), Barış Alper Yılmaz (Galatasaray), Yunus Akgün (Galatasaray), Can Uzun (Eintracht Frankfurt), Deniz Gül (Porto), İrfan Can Kahveci (Kasımpaşa), Kenan Yıldız (Juventus), Kerem Aktürkoğlu, and Oğuz Aydın (Fenerbahçe).

According to the official announcement by the Turkish Football Federation^【1】, Muhammed Şengezer, Aral Şimşir, and Demir Ege Tıknaz, who were not included in the final 26-man squad, have been added to the delegation traveling to the United States. This decision is based on the player substitution rules outlined in the FIFA World Cup regulations. Current regulations permit teams to replace players in the squad due to injuries occurring before their first match of the tournament. Additionally, it has been specified that this substitution allowance for goalkeepers remains valid throughout the tournament. Under these rules, the three aforementioned players are traveling with the squad to be ready for potential inclusion in case of injury.

It has been announced that the Türkiye national team delegation will depart for Fort Lauderdale, United States, on 2 June 2026 at 13:30. The final preparatory match of the tournament campaign will be against the Venezuela national team. This preparatory fixture is scheduled for Sunday, 7 June 2026, at 01:00 Türkiye Time (TSİ), at the Inter Miami Stadium.

^{Turkey-North Macedonia match infographic (AA)}

An official preparatory match was held between the Turkey national football team and the North Macedonia national football team at the Chobani Stadium in the Kadıköy district of Istanbul as part of the preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The match kicked off at 20:30 and ended with a 4-0 victory for Turkey. This match marked Turkey’s first preparatory game ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament.

This encounter was recorded as the 650th match in the 103-year history of the Turkey national football team. Prior to this match, Turkey had played a total of 649 matches, including 362 official and 287 unofficial games, achieving 257 wins, 151 draws and 241 losses, with one win awarded by default. The team scored a total of 897 goals and conceded 926 goals across these matches. This was also the 32nd match for Italian head coach Vincenzo Montella at the helm of the national team. Under Montella’s leadership, Turkey had previously recorded 18 wins, 8 losses and 5 draws in 31 matches.

This match marked the ninth meeting between the two national teams in history. Of the previous eight encounters, four were played in Macedonia, three in Turkey and one at a neutral venue; four were official matches and four were unofficial. Turkey won five of those matches, drew two and lost one, scoring 14 goals and conceding nine. The most recent encounter between the two sides took place nine years ago under head coach Fatih Terim in Skopje and ended in a 0-0 draw.

Additionally, this match was Turkey’s first appearance at Kadıköy after a gap of 1696 days. The national team last played in Kadıköy on 8 October 2021 in a 2022 World Cup qualifier against Norway, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

The Turkey national team continued its 2026 FIFA World Cup training camp at the Hasan Doğan National Teams Training and Education Facility. Prior to the match, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Mustafa Eskihellaç and Kenan Yıldız suffered minor injuries and were undergoing treatment. Team captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu trained separately from the squad.

The 35-player preliminary squad selected by head coach Vincenzo Montella included the following players:

• Goalkeepers: Altay Bayındır, Ersin Destanoğlu, Mert Günok, Muhammed Şengezer, Uğurcan Çakır.
• Defenders: Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Eren Elmalı, Ahmetcan Kaplan, Çağlar Söyüncü, Mert Müldür, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Merih Demiral, Mustafa Eskihellaç, Ozan Kabak, Samet Akaydin, Yusuf Akçiçek, Zeki Çelik.
• Midfielders: Atakan Karazor, Demir Ege Tıknaz, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, İsmail Yüksek, Kaan Ayhan, Orkun Kökçü, Salih Özcan.
• Forwards: Aral Şimşir, Arda Güler, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Yunus Akgün, Can Uzun, Deniz Gül, İrfan Can Kahveci, Kenan Yıldız, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Oğuz Aydın, Yusuf Sarı.

^{Turkey’s starting eleven (AA)}

North Macedonia was chosen as the opponent for this preparatory match primarily due to tactical similarities with Australia, Turkey’s first opponent in the World Cup group stage, which employs a five-man defensive system. The other teams in the group are Paraguay and the United States. The match, officiated by referee Jose Luis Munuera, also served to test new rules established by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) for the World Cup.

The match began with Turkey applying an aggressive and attacking style. In the first minute, Can Uzun received a pass from Orkun Kökçü on the left diagonal of the opponent’s penalty area and shot, but the ball struck the crossbar and rebounded back into play. Shortly after this attack, in the fourth minute, Orkun Kökçü struck a powerful shot from just outside the six-yard box after Oğuz Aydın’s cross from the right flank, sending the ball into the net to give Turkey a 1-0 lead.

^{Turkey-North Macedonia match (AA)}

In the 16th minute, a swift attacking move originated from midfield as Can Uzun delivered a pass to Eren Elmalı on the left flank. After Elmalı ran to the byline and returned the ball, Can Uzun fired a precise shot from the left diagonal to double Turkey’s lead to 2-0.

Following a ball going out of bounds in the 21st minute, North Macedonia’s goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski and defenders delayed their restart, triggering the immediate application of a new IFAB rule designed to speed up play and reduce time-wasting. Referee Jose Luis Munuera awarded Turkey a corner kick. Near the end of the first half, in the 44th minute, North Macedonia launched an attack in which Bojan Miovski delivered a cross from the left side of the penalty area. Ezgjan Alioski, after beating Ozan Kabak, shot dangerously toward goal, but goalkeeper Altay Bayındır made a decisive save to deny the goal. In stoppage time (45+3 minutes), Oğuz Aydın received the ball on the right flank, broke away from his marker inside the penalty area and shot, but the ball rebounded off the goalkeeper. The first half ended with Turkey leading 2-0.

^{Turkey-North Macedonia match (AA)}

Turkey maintained the same attacking tempo in the second half. In the 53rd minute, a precise long pass from Can Uzun into the penalty area found Deniz Gül, who headed the ball into the net to extend the lead to 3-0. In the 70th minute, Arda Güler delivered an elegant heel pass to İrfan Can Kahveci, who cut inside from the right flank. Barış Alper Yılmaz then struck a clean shot to complete the scoring, making the final result 4-0.

In the 7th minute, Eren Elmalı suffered a head injury after a collision with an opponent during a header duel. He continued playing for approximately 20 more minutes and provided the assist for Turkey’s second goal. However, due to complaints of dizziness, he was substituted as a precaution and replaced by Zeki Çelik. After Elmalı’s exit, Mert Müldür moved to the left-back position and Zeki Çelik took over at right-back. Following medical checks at the hospital, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) publicly confirmed that Elmalı had no serious health concerns.

Individually, the match marked several milestones. Twenty-year-old Can Uzun, who plays for Eintracht Frankfurt, scored his first goal and provided an assist for Turkey’s senior national team. Deniz Gül, playing for Porto, netted his second goal for the national team in his seventh appearance (his first goal came against Spain). Additionally, Muhammed Şengezer of RAMS Başakşehir and Aral Şimşir of Midtjylland entered the match in the 63rd minute, replacing Altay Bayındır and Can Uzun respectively, making their debut appearances for the senior national team. Arda Güler, who warmed up in the second half as a Real Madrid player, received enthusiastic support from the crowd at Chobani Stadium and responded with waves of appreciation.

In the post-match press conference, Turkey head coach Vincenzo Montella expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance and particularly praised the integration of young players such as Can Uzun, Aral Şimşir and Deniz Gül. Montella stated that the coaching staff aims to bring players with minor issues—Kenan Yıldız, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Arda Güler and Ferdi Kadıoğlu—to peak physical condition before the first World Cup match.

^{Vincenzo Montella (AA)}

North Macedonia head coach Goce Sedloski acknowledged Turkey’s deserved victory and accepted responsibility for the 4-0 defeat. He noted that his team is in the process of rebuilding, has failed to score in their last four matches and is working to address defensive weaknesses. North Macedonian players Ezgjan Alioski and sporting director Goran Pandev praised Turkey’s potential and expressed their support for Turkey during the World Cup campaign. Turkey’s goalkeeper Altay Bayındır emphasized that the team has had a strong preparation period, aims to win the trophy at the tournament and will quickly adapt to the climate conditions in the United States where the matches will be played.

Following the match against North Macedonia, Turkey’s training camp will continue in the state of Florida, United States. The national team is scheduled to play a second friendly match against Venezuela at the Inter Miami FC Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 01:00 Turkish time on the final day of camp, before relocating to their main training base in Mesa, Arizona, ahead of their opening group match against Australia.

Türkiye A National Football Team played its first match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D on 14 June 2026 at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Canada, against the Australia National Football Team. The match ended in a 2-0 victory for Australia. This game marked Türkiye’s first World Cup appearance after a 24-year absence. The match kicked off at 07.00 Türkiye Time (TSİ).

The Türkiye A National Football Team completed its final preparations at Killarney Park in Vancouver. Under the management of head coach Vincenzo Montella, portions of the training sessions were open to the media, with emphasis placed on tactical drills and ball recovery exercises. Kenan Yıldız, who had recovered from injury, participated fully in all training sessions. The training sessions were monitored on-site by Ibrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, President of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), and Mecnun Otyakmaz, Acting President of the TFF.

^{Group D Opening Match Preparations (AA)}

During pre-match press conferences, both teams outlined their strategic expectations. Türkiye’s head coach Vincenzo Montella described Australia as a physically strong, disciplined team with fast attackers in the front line and anticipated a difficult match. He also expressed concerns about whether Arda Güler, Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Kenan Yıldız could maintain a 100-minute performance level. Australia’s head coach Tony Popovic stated that his team had analyzed Türkiye and would face a talented squad led by Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Arda Güler, but emphasized their intent to win by leveraging their own advantages.

^{Boğaziçi University (AA)}

In Türkiye, where the match coincided with early morning hours, various public events were organized nationwide. In Istanbul, citizens gathered in front of large screens set up in public squares to watch the match. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality installed giant screens at Üsküdar Shore, Eminönü and Beylikdüzü Metrobüs Squares. Additionally, the municipalities of Bağcılar, Şişli, Beşiktaş, Beykoz, Kadıköy and Maltepe created viewing areas in their respective district squares. At the Büyük Çamlıca Mosque and Kandilli Mosque, organized by the Üsküdar Muftiate, prayers were held after the morning prayer, and attendees were served soup and simit.

^{Van, Bahçesaray (AA)}

Turkish political figures also released messages of support for the national team ahead of the match. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly Numan Kurtulmuş, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Minister of National Defense and Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, all highlighted the team’s achievement of returning to the World Cup after 24 years and wished them success in the tournament.

^{Türkiye Starting XI (AA)}

The match was officiated by Venezuelan referee Jesus Valenzuela, with assistants Jorge Urrego and Tulio Moreno.

• Australia Starting XI: Beach, Circati, Italiano, Bos, Souttar, Burgess, Metcalfe, O'Neill, Okon-Engstler, Toure, Irankunda.
• Türkiye Starting XI: Uğurcan Çakır, Zeki Çelik, Merih Demiral, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, İsmail Yüksek, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Orkun Kökçü, Arda Güler, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Kerem Aktürkoğlu.

The first half of the match at BC Place Stadium began with a balanced structure. In the opening 10 minutes, the Türkiye A National Football Team attempted to create scoring opportunities through attacks down the flanks and through the central zone. In response, the Australia National Team adopted a defensive strategy in the early stages, choosing to remain compact in their own half. At the 22nd minute, the first water break of the match was called. During this break, music played in the stadium while both coaches used the opportunity to deliver new tactical instructions to their players on the sideline.

^{Group D Opening Match: Australia 2-0 Türkiye (AA)}

The first serious chance of the match came in the 26th minute from Türkiye. On the left flank, Barış Alper Yılmaz received the ball and delivered a cross into the penalty area. Arda Güler, positioned in the area, struck a powerful shot, but Australian goalkeeper Beach managed to control the ball.

Moments later, in the 27th minute, the opening goal was scored. A long pass from the Australian defense found Nestory Irankunda, who outpaced Turkish defender Merih Demiral and faced goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır. Irankunda’s low shot found the net, giving Australia a 1-0 lead.

Shortly after Australia’s goal, in the 30th minute, Türkiye came very close to equalizing. After the Australian defense cleared the ball, it fell to Abdülkerim Bardakcı outside the penalty area. Bardakcı unleashed a powerful shot, but Beach made a save. The rebound struck the post and bounced back into play. No further goals were scored in the remainder of the first half, and the match ended the first 45 minutes with Australia leading 1-0.

At the start of the second half, Türkiye’s head coach Vincenzo Montella made a tactical change to strengthen the attack. In the 46th minute, Barış Alper Yılmaz was substituted off and replaced by Kenan Yıldız.

The first significant chance of the second half occurred in the 53rd minute. From a corner kick on the left flank, Australian player O'Neill delivered the ball into the penalty area. Metcalfe rose to head the ball, but goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır extended to prevent it from entering the net.

^{Group D Opening Match: Australia 2-0 Türkiye (AA)}

In the 57th minute, Türkiye won a free kick from a dangerous position outside the penalty area. Arda Güler took the kick and fired a low shot toward goal, which Beach saved with an outstretched hand. The rebound fell to Kenan Yıldız, whose follow-up shot lacked both power and accuracy, allowing the Australian defense to clear the danger. In the 61st minute, Australia made its first substitution, replacing Irankunda, the match’s first goalscorer, with Velupillay. In the 68th minute, both teams were granted a second water break.

In the 72nd minute, Türkiye mounted another effective attack in pursuit of an equalizer. A through ball from Hakan Çalhanoğlu found Zeki Çelik entering the penalty area from the right flank. Çelik struck a powerful angled shot, but Beach managed to deflect it onto the post. In the 74th minute, Australia made two more substitutions: Italiano was replaced by Geria and Toure by Yengi.

In the 75th minute, the Australia National Team scored their second goal. Metcalfe won possession in midfield, drove forward into the penalty area and unleashed a powerful shot that flew past goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır’s left side and into the net, making the score 2-0.

Just two minutes later, in the 77th minute, Türkiye had a clear opportunity to reduce the deficit. Hakan Çalhanoğlu delivered a cross into the penalty area, where Merih Demiral headed the ball down to Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who was positioned in front of goal. Aktürkoğlu’s shot was again saved by Australian goalkeeper Beach.

^{Group D Opening Match: Australia 2-0 Türkiye (AA)}

In the closing stages, both coaches made multiple substitutions. For Türkiye, Yunus Akgün replaced Orkun Kökçü in the 62nd minute, Mert Müldür replaced Zeki Çelik and Salih Özcan replaced İsmail Yüksek in the 81st minute, and Deniz Gül replaced Kerem Aktürkoğlu in the 85th minute. For Australia, Aziz Behich replaced Bos and Irvine replaced Okon-Engstler in the 84th minute.

In the 86th minute, Türkiye won another free kick from a left diagonal position outside the penalty area. Hakan Çalhanoğlu took the shot, but Beach made another excellent save to deny the goal. In the same minute, substitute Yunus Akgün received the only yellow card of the match. No further goal opportunities arose in the remaining time, and the first match of Group D in the 2026 FIFA World Cup ended with a 2-0 victory for the Australia National Team.

During the match, several notable statistics and records were recorded:

• Türkiye recorded a 72% ball possession rate and 636 accurate passes, achieving some of the highest statistical figures in the tournament. Australia, with only 28% possession, recorded one of the lowest possession rates in World Cup history.
• Türkiye attempted 30 shots during the match, the highest number of shots in a World Cup match since July 2006, when Portugal had 31 shots against England without scoring.
• Nestory Irankunda, who scored Australia’s first goal (aged 20 years and 125 days), became the youngest player in Australian history to score in a World Cup match.
• Arda Güler (aged 21 years and 109 days) became the third youngest player to appear for Türkiye in a World Cup match, following Coşkun Taş and Feridun Buğeker. He also became the first player in the tournament to attempt eight shots in a single match.
• Australia fielded a starting XI with an average age of 24.6 years, one of the youngest squads in the tournament.
• Türkiye extended its record of losing its opening match in eight of its nine appearances at major tournaments (World Cup and European Championship). Additionally, it lost all three World Cup matches in which it conceded its first goal: against Australia, Brazil and West Germany.

Following the match, Türkiye’s head coach Vincenzo Montella stated that his team had anticipated Australia would sit deep and look to counterattack, which is precisely how the opponent scored both goals. Montella explained that he introduced players like Mert Müldür and Salih Özcan to help balance the physical demands on Arda Güler and Hakan Çalhanoğlu, emphasized that the team fought with heart on the pitch, and acknowledged that despite numerous shots, they failed to convert chances into goals.

^{Vincenzo Montella (AA)}

National team player Kerem Aktürkoğlu, in his post-match assessment, said the team knew Australia would play defensively and launch quick counterattacks, but they were unable to neutralize them collectively. Aktürkoğlu noted that conceding goals during good periods had affected morale, adding: “There is no need to search for excuses. We will learn from our mistakes and do what is necessary to win our remaining matches.”

After the opening matches, in Group D, the United States, having defeated both Australia and Paraguay, led the group with three points each alongside Paraguay. Türkiye and Paraguay remained without points. It was announced that Türkiye’s second group match will be against Paraguay on 20 June at 06.00 TSİ.

Ahead of the Group D second match between the Türkiye and Paraguay national football teams at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, official statements were made by the technical staff and players of both teams at the stadium and various training facilities.

On the Türkiye national team side, the head coach and players held press conferences to inform the public about the team’s overall condition and strategies for the match against Paraguay.

Türkiye national team head coach Vincenzo Montella provided detailed insights into the team’s condition and tactical vision during a press conference held at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.

^{Group D Second Match: Paraguay vs Türkiye (AA)}

• Analysis of the Australia Match: Montella stated that a detailed analysis was conducted of the opening group match against Australia, which ended in defeat. It was noted that Türkiye generated 30 shot opportunities against Australia, a statistic that Portugal managed only once in their match against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, highlighting Türkiye’s attacking effectiveness. It was also pointed out that Australia adopted a counterattacking style and formed a difficult-to-penetrate defensive line in the final 25 meters during key phases of the match. Montella acknowledged that the decision to shoot was statistically justified but noted shortcomings in maintaining ball dominance and neutralizing opponent threats. He also mentioned that the water breaks during the match disrupted the team’s rhythm, particularly when Türkiye had established pressure and increased goal-scoring chances, which negatively affected their momentum.
• Team Psychology and Criticism: Addressing public criticism following the Australia defeat, Montella emphasized that it is entirely normal for players in major tournaments to face criticism after losses. He stressed that the team’s achievements over the past three years warrant greater respect and said he felt more “Turkish” than ever in the midst of the chaos created by external voices. Although the coaching staff initially adopted a stern tone after the defeat, they later shifted to a constructive approach to restore team morale. When asked whether the squad had a sports psychologist, Montella replied that he himself assumed this role and maintained a balanced perspective on results. It was also revealed that players were given two to three hours after the Australia match to spend time with their families, during which the game was not discussed. The head coach, who celebrated his 52nd birthday on 18 June with the team, declared that he expected victory as his gift from the players.
• Tactical Approach for the Paraguay Match: Paraguay’s strong performance in the qualifiers and their possession of skilled and characterful strikers were highlighted. Attention was drawn to Paraguay’s physically strong structure, and it was indicated that changes to the starting lineup and tactical formation could be made depending on the match strategy.

National team players Kaan Ayhan, Mert Günok, and Yunus Akgün made statements regarding the team’s overall condition ahead of training sessions.

• Kaan Ayhan: The experienced player, speaking at Avaya Stadium, stated that the team aims to play with character and courage. He noted that all possible scenarios had been evaluated within the squad and that while the desired performance was not reflected on the pitch against Australia, a different approach is planned for the match against Paraguay. He observed that Paraguay’s playing philosophy resembles Australia’s but is unlikely to be as physically demanding in defense. However, he noted that Paraguay possesses more dangerous and individually talented players in the attacking third.
• Mert Günok: He stated that the criticism following the tournament’s first defeat is normal given the high expectations. He emphasized that failing to convert goal-scoring opportunities affected the result and referenced goals scored from distance by Arda Güler and Mert Müldür during the European Championship, stressing the need for similar finishing ability in this match. He speculated that Paraguay, having conceded four goals to the United States in their opening match, might adopt a more defensive approach against Türkiye, similar to their strategy against Australia. Regarding goalkeeper rotation debates, Günok affirmed his good relationship with Uğurcan Çakır and stated that whoever wears the jersey will fulfill their duties responsibly.
• Yunus Akgün: He noted that the team’s quality is sufficient to defeat Paraguay and that the defeat did not damage team confidence. He acknowledged that the intense ambition brought by Türkiye’s return to the World Cup after 24 years can sometimes lead to negative outcomes, and therefore a more controlled game plan will be applied against Paraguay. He referenced the pressing system used at Galatasaray and stated that the team’s pressing strategy will be shaped according to Paraguay’s preference to build play from deep positions.

On the Paraguay national team side, head coach Gustavo Alfaro and player Matias Galarza held a press conference to share strategies ahead of the match.

Paraguay national team head coach Gustavo Alfaro provided detailed remarks regarding the team’s position in the group and preparations for the match against Türkiye.

• Analysis of the United States Match and Team Psychology: Alfaro stated that the 4-1 defeat against the United States in the opening group match had a demoralizing effect on the team and that emotions were running high. He emphasized that, given the nature of the tournament, the team is not entitled to self-pity or prolonged mourning and that players must focus on solving problems rather than worrying. Analysis of data revealed many shortcomings, but confidence in the players remained absolute.
• Analysis of the Türkiye Team: Alfaro noted that Türkiye earned 13 points in the European qualifiers by finishing in the same group as Spain, demonstrating their quality. He observed that Türkiye’s squad includes many young and talented players and that they play with a system designed to increase numerical superiority in midfield to control possession. The Paraguay coaching staff collectively watched the Australia-Türkiye match and analyzed how Türkiye, despite dominating possession, successfully contained Australia’s defensive zones.
• Paraguay’s Strategy: Alfaro, referencing his 23-year professional coaching career, stated that he fully assumes responsibility for this critical match, where elimination is a real threat, and will field his best possible starting eleven. He emphasized that Paraguay will adopt a structure different from Australia’s, implementing fine tactical adjustments and demonstrating their full strength in this match, which is vital for both teams.

Paraguayan player Matias Galarza, speaking alongside his head coach at the press conference, expressed pride in representing his country. Galarza stated that playing at the World Cup level is the best possible scenario and recalled past experiences competing against elite players like Lionel Messi, emphasizing their familiarity with top-level football. He acknowledged that Türkiye possesses many individually strong players but affirmed that Paraguay is prepared and confident and will deliver their best performance.

Türkiye national team’s preparations for the match against Paraguay were conducted at the San Jose Park and Avaya Stadium facilities.

^{Group D Second Match: Paraguay vs Türkiye (AA)}

The first 15 minutes of the training session under head coach Vincenzo Montella at San Jose Park were open to the press. The session began with running drills followed by station-based exercises. The main portion of the training, closed to the press, focused on tactical rehearsals and strategic formations specific to the Paraguay match. It was reported that all players participated fully in team training.

The training session was personally monitored on the sideline by Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak and Turkish Football Federation (TFF) President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu. Additionally, before the training session, journalists who arrived at the stadium presented head coach Vincenzo Montella with a birthday cake to celebrate his 52nd birthday.

The third and final match of the Türkiye national football team in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D was played on 26 June 2026 at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California, United States, against the host nation’s United States national football team. The match ended in a 3–2 victory for Türkiye. With this win, Türkiye secured their first victory and first points of the tournament, bidding farewell to the World Cup on a high note. Following this result, the Türkiye national team finished at the bottom of the group with three points.

^{Türkiye - United States match, 26 June 2026 - (Anadolu Ajansı)}

Having lost their first two matches and been eliminated early from the tournament, the Türkiye national team faced the United States, who were leading the group. The match was officiated by referee Mustapha Ghorbal from the Algerian Football Federation, with assistants Mokrane Gourari and Abbes Zerhouni. It was reported that 70,492 spectators attended the match. The game was also watched from the stands by Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak and President of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) İbrahim Ethem Hacıosmanoğlu.

In the 3rd minute, the United States took the lead. From a corner kick won on the left, Berhalter delivered a cross to the far post, where Auston Trusty, unmarked in the right diagonal area of the penalty box, struck a powerful shot to make it 0–1. In the 10th minute, Türkiye equalized. Arda Güler played a through ball behind the defense, which Barış Alper Yılmaz intercepted and laid off to Arda Güler, who had moved into the penalty area. Güler fired a powerful shot from a one-on-one position to make it 1–1.

In the 31st minute, Türkiye took the lead. After receiving a pass from Kenan Yıldız, Arda Güler delivered a low cross from the left into the space behind the defense to Eren Elmalı. Elmalı ran to the end line and cut the ball back into the center of the penalty area, where Orkun Kökçü finished from close range to make it 2–1. The first half ended with Türkiye leading 2–1.

In the 49th minute, the United States equalized. From a long throw-in on the left by McKenzie, the ball fell to Sebastian Berhalter in the left diagonal area in front of the penalty arc, who struck a powerful shot that curled into the top corner to make it 2–2. In the 62nd minute, Pulisic received a pass behind the defense and entered the penalty area, but his angled shot was saved by Uğurcan Çakır; the rebound fell to Aaronson, who failed to convert. In the 63rd minute, Pulisic’s shot was tipped onto the post by Uğurcan Çakır’s fingertips, and the rebound bounced back into play before the defense cleared it for a corner.

In the 72nd minute, Kenan Yıldız’s angled shot narrowly went out of bounds. In the 89th minute, Barış Alper Yılmaz, brought on by a heel pass from Arda Güler, found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper but could not strike the ball cleanly. In the 90+8th minute, Türkiye regained the lead. From a right-sided cross by Salih Özcan, Can Uzun’s shot deflected off a defender and fell in front of Kaan Ayhan inside the penalty area. The substitute, who had entered the match in the 88th minute, finished from close range to make it 3–2. The match ended with a 3–2 victory for Türkiye.

^{Türkiye - United States match, 26 June 2026 - (Anadolu Ajansı)}

Türkiye: Uğurcan Çakır, Zeki Çelik (84’ Çağlar Söyüncü), Ozan Kabak, Abdülkerim Bardakı, Eren Elmalı, Salih Özcan, Orkun Kökçü (88’ Kaan Ayhan), Oğuz Aydın (90+2’ Mert Müldür), Kenan Yıldız (84’ Can Uzun), Arda Güler, Barış Alper Yılmaz (90+2’ İrfan Can Kahveci).

United States: Turner, Trusty, McKenzie, Scally (77’ Freeman), Robinson, Reyna (77’ Dest), McKennie (86’ Tillman), Berhalter, Aaronson (77’ Zendejas), Weah (58’ Pulisic), Pepi.

Goals: 10’ Arda Güler, 31’ Orkun Kökçü, 90+8’ Kaan Ayhan (Türkiye); 3’ Trusty, 49’ Berhalter (United States). Yellow card: 19’ Berhalter (United States).

By scoring against the United States, Arda Güler (21 years and 120 days) became the youngest player ever to score for the Türkiye national team in a FIFA World Cup match. He surpassed Emre Belözoğlu, who had scored against Costa Rica at the 2002 World Cup at the age of 21 years and 275 days.

This match was Türkiye’s 654th official match in its 103-year history. With this result, Türkiye’s record in 654 matches (365 official and 289 unofficial) stands at 260 wins, 151 draws, and 243 losses, including one walkover. They have scored 906 goals and conceded 932. This was also the sixth match between Türkiye and the United States; with this victory, Türkiye now leads the head-to-head record.

^{Türkiye - United States match, 26 June 2026 - (Anadolu Ajansı)}

On the same day, in another group match played at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, Paraguay and Australia drew 0–0. As a result, the United States finished top of Group D with six points, and Australia advanced to the Round of 32. The United States faced Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32. The Türkiye national team finished fourth in the group with three points and was eliminated from the tournament.