Türkiye's squad list for the 2026 World Cup.
Coach Vincenzo Montella has selected a preliminary list of 35 players. This list will have to be narrowed down to 26 by June 2nd in preparation for the 2026 World Cup finals.
Vincenzo Montella has just announced the preliminary squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the Turkish national team will face Australia, Paraguay, and co-hosts the USA in Group D. The Italian coach is facing difficult decisions as he must cut the squad from 35 to 26 players before the June 2nd deadline.
Türkiye's attack is truly impressive. Besides the two rising stars Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz, the list also includes notable names like Kerem Akturkoglu and Baris Alper Yilmaz – both of whom have just completed an excellent season in the Super Lig (Turkish national league).
Ahead of the biggest football event on the planet, the entire team will gather on May 22nd at the headquarters of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), a few kilometers northeast of Istanbul, to begin final preparations for the World Cup.
According to the schedule, the Turkish national team will play a friendly match against North Macedonia on June 1st in Istanbul. Their final rehearsal before the tournament will take place on June 7th in Fort Lauderdale (USA) against Venezuela.
Preliminary list of 35 players for the Turkish national team at the 2026 World Cup.
Goalkeepers (5 players):Altay Bayindir, Ersin Destanoglu, Mert Gunok, Muhammed Sengezer, Ugurcan Cakir.
Defenders (12 players):Abdulkerim Bardakci, Ahmetcan Kaplan, Caglar Soyuncu, Eren Elmali, Ferdi Kadioglu, Merih Demiral, Mert Muldur, Mustafa Eskihellac, Ozan Kabak, Samet Akaydin, Yusuf Akcicek, Zeki Celik.
Midfielders (7 players):Atakan Karazor, Demir Ege Tiknaz, Hakan Calhanoglu, Ismail Yuksek, Kaan Ayhan, Orkun Kokcu, Salih Ozcan.
Forwards (11 players):Aral Simsir, Arda Guler, Baris Alper Yilmaz, Can Uzun, Deniz Gul, Irfan Can Kahveci, Kenan Yildiz, Kerem Akturkoglu, Oguz Aydin, Yunus Akgun, Yusuf Sari.
Türkiye's schedule at the 2026 World Cup
In the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, the Turkish national team is in Group D along with Australia, Paraguay, and the United States. The specific schedule is as follows:
June 13th:Australia vs Türkiye - BC Place Vancouver.
June 19th:Türkiye vs Paraguay - San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
June 25th:Türkiye vs USA - Los Angeles Stadium.
