Türkiye Tuesday announced its 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, confirming the group that will represent the national team at the tournament... Sports Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis Türkiye unveil 26-player squad for historic 2026 World Cup return by Daily Sabah with Agencies ISTANBUL Jun 02, 2026 - 11:30 am GMT+3 Edited By Kelvin Ndunga The Turkish national football team trains ahead of a friendly against North Macedonia as part of its preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Istanbul, Türkiye, May 29, 2026.
Montella's 26-Man Türkiye Squad: Arda Güler Included
(AA Photo) by Daily Sabah with Agencies Jun 02, 2026 11:30 am Edited By Kelvin Ndunga Türkiye Tuesday announced its 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, confirming the group that will represent the national team at the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. Head coach Vincenzo Montella has finalized a balanced roster built on a mix of Europe-based talent and leading players from Türkiye’s top clubs as the team prepares for its first World Cup appearance since 2002.
Standby players Goalkeeper Muhammed Şengezer, along with Aral Şimşir and Demir Ege Tıknaz, were not included in the final 26. as standby options under FIFA regulations that allow injury replacements before a team’s first match, and for goalkeepers throughout the tournament.
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Departure and final warm-up The squad departs at 13:30 local time today for its base camp in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Before the tournament begins, Türkiye will play its final warm-up match against Venezuela on June 7 at Inter Miami Stadium. Group D challenge Türkiye has been drawn in Group D alongside Australia, Paraguay and host nation United States.
The group stage fixtures are: June 14: Australia vs Türkiye, Vancouver June 20: Türkiye vs Paraguay, San Francisco Bay Area June 26: Türkiye vs United States, Los Angeles The 26-man squad Goalkeepers Altay Bayındır (Manchester United), Mert Günok (Fenerbahçe), Uğurcan Çakır (Galatasaray) Defenders Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Eren Elmalı, Çağlar Söyüncü, Mert Müldür, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Merih Demiral, Ozan Kabak, Samet Akaydin, Zeki Çelik Midfielders Hakan Çalhanoğlu, İsmail Yüksek, Kaan Ayhan, Orkun Kökçü, Salih Özcan Forwards and attackers Arda Güler, Kenan Yıldız, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Yunus Akgün, Can Uzun, Deniz Gül, İrfan Can Kahveci, Oğuz Aydın Türkiye enters the tournament with growing expectations after a strong qualifying campaign and a steady rise under Montella.
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The squad’s attacking core, led by Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız, is seen as the centerpiece of a new generation aiming to push beyond the group stage. Political figures with the most Twitter followers PHOTOGALLERY
Montella's 3-4-2-1 Formation and Türkiye's Likely Starting XI
The important question is not only who made the squad, but what the selection means for the likely starting XI. Readers need to know which roles are settled, which positions are still open, and which absences change the team shape.
The best follow-up is a match lineup page for the team involved. That connects squad news directly to the decisions the manager must make when the tournament starts.