Türkiye Heads to US After Naming World Cup Squad
By Bosphorus News Sports Desk
Türkiye's national football team left for the United States after head coach Vincenzo Montella named his 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, moving the build-up from selection decisions to the final camp stage.
The squad completed its preparations in Istanbul and departed for Fort Lauderdale by private aircraft on 2 June. Youth and Sports Minister Osman Aşkın Bak was at the send-off as the team began the last phase of its World Cup preparations before the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Türkiye travel with momentum after a 4-0 friendly win over North Macedonia, a result that gave Montella a clean final domestic rehearsal before the squad shifted its base across the Atlantic. The next test comes on 7 June, when Türkiye face Venezuela in Fort Lauderdale.
The World Cup campaign begins on 14 June against Australia at BC Place in Vancouver. Türkiye are in Group D with co-hosts the United States, Australia and Paraguay, a group that gives Montella little room for a slow start.
The final squad keeps the core of Montella's recent setup intact. Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Arda Güler, Kenan Yıldız, Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Barış Alper Yılmaz headline a group built around experience in midfield and attacking quality, while Uğurcan Çakır, Mert Günok and Altay Bayındır give Türkiye three established options in goal.
Montella also kept faith with players who fit his existing structure. Kaan Ayhan and Salih Özcan were included in midfield, while İrfan Can Kahveci made the attacking group. The final list left out several names from the wider squad, including Aral Şimşir and Demir Ege Tıknaz, both of whom had pushed for places after strong club seasons.
The Turkish Football Federation said Muhammed Şengezer, Aral Şimşir and Demir Ege Tıknaz would still travel with the delegation to the United States because World Cup regulations allow player changes before a team's first match, and for goalkeepers throughout the tournament, in case of injury.
The departure also carried a public send-off from one of the team's main sponsors. Togg, Türkiye's domestic electric vehicle brand, accompanied the squad from the TFF Hasan Doğan National Teams Camp and Training Facilities to Istanbul Airport with a convoy made up of Togg vehicles, including T10X and T10F models. The send-off added a national branding element to the team's departure without changing the sporting focus of the trip.
Türkiye are returning to the World Cup for the first time since 2002, when the national team produced the best tournament run in its history and finished third. That campaign began in a group with Brazil, Costa Rica and China, continued with knockout wins over Japan and Senegal, and ended with a semi-final defeat to Brazil before Türkiye beat South Korea in the third-place match.
That history gives the 2026 squad a clear reference point, but Montella's team now have their own tournament path to manage. The 4-0 win over North Macedonia eased the mood before departure, while Venezuela offers one final test for rhythm, roles and fitness. The squad is set, the camp has moved to the United States, and Türkiye's first World Cup match in 24 years is now less than two weeks away.
Türkiye's 26-man World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Altay Bayındır, Mert Günok, Uğurcan Çakır.
Defenders: Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Çağlar Söyüncü, Eren Elmalı, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Merih Demiral, Mert Müldür, Ozan Kabak, Samet Akaydin, Zeki Çelik.
Midfielders: Hakan Çalhanoğlu, İsmail Yüksek, Kaan Ayhan, Orkun Kökçü, Salih Özcan.
Forwards: Arda Güler, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Can Uzun, Deniz Gül, İrfan Can Kahveci, Kenan Yıldız, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Oğuz Aydın, Yunus Akgün.