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The Turkish national football team defeated Bulgaria 2-0 on Saturday in its fifth match of Group E in the 2026 FIFA World Cup European qualifiers at Timsah Arena in the northwestern city of Bursa, clinching a play-off spot and overtaking Georgia in the group standings.
With the win, Türkiye moved into second place with 12 points, setting up a decisive final clash against group leader Spain, which remains unbeaten with five wins and a +19 goal difference.
Captain Hakan Calhanoglu opened the scoring in the 18th minute after his free kick deflected off the Bulgarian wall and was followed by a handball in the box. Calhanoglu calmly converted the penalty, sending goalkeeper Daniel Mitov the wrong way for the 1-0 lead.
Kerem Akturkoglu nearly doubled the advantage minutes later with a curling effort, but Mitov stretched to push it wide.
Türkiye continued to dominate in the second half. The pressure paid off in the 83rd minute when Atanas Atanasov Chernev turned the ball into his own net while attempting to clear a cross, sealing the 2-0 result for Türkiye.
Türkiye now shifts its focus to the final and most critical group-stage fixture, an away game against Spain at La Cartuja Stadium in Seville on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
A win would give Türkiye a chance at direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
Before kickoff, players and fans observed a moment of silence for the 20 Turkish soldiers killed in a military cargo plane crash near the Azerbaijan–Georgia border. The players also wore warm-up shirts bearing the message: “Condolences to Our Nation.”
Youth and Sports Minister Osman Askin Bak attended the match alongside Turkish Football Federation (TFF) President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu.
With his 102nd appearance, Calhanoglu tied former defender Bulent Korkmaz for third-most caps in Türkiye's national team history. Rustu Recber remains the all-time leader with 120 caps.
Five players — Calhanoglu, Kenan Yildiz, Ismail Yuksek, Akturkoglu, and Oguz Aydin — face potential suspension if they receive a yellow card in the next match. A booking would sideline them for the away fixture against Spain on Nov. 18.
Fans packed Timsah Arena hours before kickoff, creating a vibrant atmosphere as Türkiye collected three important points in their campaign to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
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