Newsletters
Türkiye’s national football team defeated Georgia 4-1 on Tuesday in the fourth match of Group E in the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers, maintaining its strong position in the group.
In the 52nd minute, Türkiye extended its lead to 4-0 with a header from Merih Demiral. Captain Hakan Calhanoglu sent in a precise corner from the left, and Demiral rose above the defense to power the ball into the net.
Georgia pulled one back in the 64th minute when Kochorashvili calmly finished inside the box after a clever backheel pass from Davitashvili, making it 4-1.
In the 81st minute, Georgia’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia dribbled past several defenders and unleashed a strong left-footed strike from outside the box, but his shot sailed over the crossbar.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan watched the match from the stands, joined by Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili and Türkiye’s Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Askin Bak. Cameras captured both presidents’ reactions as Türkiye dominated the game from start to finish.
Before kickoff, Captain Calhanoglu was honored with a plaque for earning his 100th cap in the previous match against Bulgaria. The award was presented by Turkish Football Federation First Vice President Mecnun Otyakmaz and Secretary-General Abdullah Ayaz.
With the Georgia match, Calhanoglu made his 101st appearance for the national team, equaling former captain Emre Belozoglu’s record and moving into fourth place among Türkiye’s most-capped players.
Türkiye’s 4-1 victory further solidified its position in Group E as it continues its campaign for a place in the 2026 World Cup.
Meanwhile, Turkish Football Federation said it will donate the ticket revenues from Tuesday's Türkiye-Georgia match in the city of Izmit, as part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers Group E, to the people of Gaza who have faced two years of genocide by Israel.
In a statement on its website on Monday, the federation wrote: “The Board of Directors of the Turkish Football Federation has decided to donate the ticket revenues from tomorrow’s Group E match between Türkiye and Georgia to the people of Gaza, who are enduring a humanitarian tragedy."
"We once again condemn this genocide taking place before the eyes of the world and call on all our fans to stand united in support of our national team at Kocaeli Stadium," the statement added.
1 min read
3 min read
