Turkey
Eliminated in the group stage
Finished 4th in Group D
Turkey are ranked 27th and were back at the World Cup for the first time since 2002, the year they finished an incredible 3rd.
Sadly the return ended in the group stage, with Turkey finishing bottom of Group D on 3 points.
They are out, but they signed off with a dramatic, last-gasp win that nobody there will forget.
Turkey's 2026 World Cup matches
See the full Group D standings →Turkey squad and manager
Manager: Vincenzo Montella
| 👕 No. | 🧑 Player | 🛡️ Club |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers (3) | ||
| 1 | Mert Günok | Fenerbahçe |
| 12 | Altay Bayındır | Manchester United |
| 23 | Uğurcan Çakır | Galatasaray |
| Defenders (9) | ||
| 2 | Zeki Çelik | Roma |
| 3 | Merih Demiral | Al-Ahli |
| 4 | Çağlar Söyüncü | Fenerbahçe |
| 13 | Eren Elmalı | Galatasaray |
| 14 | Abdülkerim Bardakcı | Galatasaray |
| 15 | Ozan Kabak | TSG Hoffenheim |
| 18 | Mert Müldür | Fenerbahçe |
| 20 | Ferdi Kadıoğlu | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| 25 | Samet Akaydin | Çaykur Rizespor |
| Midfielders (5) | ||
| 5 | Salih Özcan | Borussia Dortmund |
| 6 | Orkun Kökçü | Beşiktaş |
| 10 | Hakan Çalhanoğlu | Inter Milan |
| 16 | İsmail Yüksek | Fenerbahçe |
| 22 | Kaan Ayhan | Galatasaray |
| Forwards (9) | ||
| 7 | Kerem Aktürkoğlu | Fenerbahçe |
| 8 | Arda Güler | Real Madrid |
| 9 | Deniz Gül | Porto |
| 11 | Kenan Yıldız | Juventus |
| 17 | İrfan Can Kahveci | Kasımpaşa |
| 19 | Yunus Akgün | Galatasaray |
| 21 | Barış Alper Yılmaz | Galatasaray |
| 24 | Oğuz Aydın | Fenerbahçe |
| 26 | Can Uzun | Eintracht Frankfurt |
Turkey at the World Cup
- FIFA ranking
- #27
- World Cup appearance
- 3rd
- Best finish
- Third place (2002)
- Confederation
- UEFA
- Group
- Group D
How did Turkey go out, then beat the USA in the last minute?
Turkey are out, but they saved their best for last and went home on a real high.
The start was flat, a 0-2 loss to Australia that instantly undercut a lot of the hype around them.
Then it got worse, a 0-1 defeat to Paraguay that left them with no points and no goals after two games.
For a young side carrying sky-high expectations, that was a brutal place to be.
But the final game was wild, because Turkey beat the host nation USA 3-2 for their only win of the tournament.
The winner came from Kaan Ayhan in the 8th minute of stoppage time, right at the very end, to snatch it.
Those were their first goals of the whole World Cup, and they came in a flood when it no longer counted.
The future is still bright, headlined by playmaker Arda Guler (Real Madrid, just 21) and Kenan Yildiz (Juventus), two of the best under-21 talents in Europe.
Coach Vincenzo Montella has plenty to build on, and that crazy comeback win means Turkey leave hurting but proud.
Turkey's recent results
- W2-1VenezuelaJune 6, 2026Friendly
- W4-0North MacedoniaJune 1, 2026Friendly
- W1-0at KosovoMarch 31, 2026WC qualifier
Last 12 months before the tournament. Source: international match records.
Common questions
Which group were Turkey in at the 2026 World Cup?
Turkey were in Group D with United States, Paraguay and Australia. They finished 4th in the group.
Who is Turkey's manager?
Turkey are managed by Vincenzo Montella.
What is Turkey's best World Cup result?
Turkey's best World Cup result is 3rd place in 2002.
Are Turkey still in the 2026 World Cup?
No, Turkey were knocked out in the group stage, finishing 4th in Group D.
What is Turkey's FIFA ranking?
Turkey are ranked 27 in the FIFA world rankings.