Türkiye world cup squad 2026: Arda Guler headlines 26-man roster
Türkiye is officially back on the world’s biggest soccer stage for the first time in 24 years. Head coach Vincenzo Montella has locked in his final 26-player roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, opting for an exciting mix of seasoned veterans and explosive young talent.
The Crescent-Stars haven't featured at a World Cup since their historic third-place finish in 2002. To replicate that magic in the US, Canada, and Mexico, Montella is leaning heavily on star power. Inter Milan maestro Hakan Calhanoglu wears the captain’s armband, pulling the strings in midfield alongside Real Madrid sensation Arda Guler and Juventus dynamic forward Kenan Yildiz. Defensive stability will be anchored by Al-Ahli’s Merih Demiral, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu Agency.
Montella's roster strategy heavily rewards the future, handing spots to rising stars like Can Uzun and Deniz Gul, who have been vital to Türkiye's recent European resurgence.
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Türkiye kicks off its Group Stage campaign in Vancouver against Australia on June 14, followed by a clash with Paraguay in the San Francisco Bay Area on June 20, and a massive prime-time showdown against the host United States in Los Angeles on June 26.
Türkiye's Full 2026 World Cup Squad:
Goalkeepers: Altay Bayindir, Mert Gunok, Ugurcan Cakir
Defenders: Abdulkerim Bardakci, Eren Elmali, Caglar Soyuncu, Mert Muldur, Ferdi Kadioglu, Merih Demiral, Ozan Kabak, Samet Akaydin, Zeki Celik
Midfielders: Hakan Calhanoglu, Ismail Yuksek, Kaan Ayhan, Orkun Kokcu, Salih Ozcan
Forwards: Arda Guler, Baris Alper Yilmaz, Yunus Akgun, Can Uzun, Deniz Gul, Irfan Can Kahveci, Kenan Yildiz, Kerem Akturkoglu, Oguz Aydin
By Aysel Mammadzada
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