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The Turkish National Football Team arrived in Arizona on Sunday, entering the final stage of preparations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The squad landed at the Phoenix International Airport via a private charter flight, transitioning from an initial training phase in Miami, Florida.
Upon arriving by bus at the team hotel in Mesa, the players and staff were met by Turkish fans gathered to show support with national flags and chants.
The Mesa facility will serve as the team's primary training base as the coaching staff finalizes tactical and physical preparations.
The 2026 tournament marks Türkiye’s return to the World Cup stage, ending a 24-year absence from the competition.
This campaign represents the nation's third appearance in the tournament finals, following previous participations in 1954 and 2002.
The national team also qualified for the 1950 World Cup in Brazil but withdrew before the start of the tournament due to financial and logistical constraints.
Historically, Türkiye's most notable performance occurred at the 2002 World Cup co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. Under the management of Senol Gunes, the team advanced to the semifinals, where it was eliminated following a 1–0 defeat to eventual champions Brazil.
Türkiye subsequently secured third place overall by defeating co-hosts South Korea 3–2 in the bronze medal play-off match. During that final fixture, forward Hakan Sukur scored the fastest goal in World Cup history, finding the net 10.8 seconds after kickoff.
Before the 2002 campaign, the team’s sole tournament appearance took place at the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland.
The squad recorded a 7–0 victory over South Korea in that tournament, but exited in the group stage following a heavy play-off defeat against West Germany, which went on to win the title.
Following the completion of the current training camp in Arizona, the team will travel to Canada.
Türkiye is scheduled to face Australia in its opening Group Stage match at the BC Place Stadium in Vancouver on Sunday, June 14.
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