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Türkiye will begin its World Cup return against Australia with a 26-man squad shaped around experienced senior players, European-based talent and a young attacking group led by names already playing at major clubs.
The Crescent-Stars, the common nickname for Türkiye's national football team, will open Group D against Australia on June 13 at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Canada. The match is scheduled for 9 p.m. local time, which is 4 a.m. GMT on June 14.
After that opening test, Türkiye will face Paraguay on June 19 before closing the group stage against co-host nation the United States on June 25.
The group stage marks Türkiye's first World Cup appearance in more than two decades, placing Vincenzo Montella's side back on one of football's biggest stages.
The squad brings together senior figures such as Hakan Calhanoglu, Mert Gunok, Kaan Ayhan, Merih Demiral, Zeki Celik and Caglar Soyuncu with younger players including Arda Guler, Kenan Yildiz, Can Uzun and Deniz Gul.
The balance gives Türkiye a team built around experience in key areas, while also bringing through a younger generation that has already started to take on responsibility at international level.
Türkiye's goalkeeping group includes Altay Bayindir of Manchester United, Mert Gunok of Fenerbahce and Ugurcan Cakir of Galatasaray.
Gunok is the oldest player in the squad and has 37 senior caps, while Cakir comes in with 39 appearances for the national team. Bayindir, who plays in England for Manchester United, has 12 senior caps.
The three-man goalkeeping unit gives Montella options across experience, club background and international exposure.
Türkiye's defense list includes several players with established national team records. Merih Demiral has 63 caps and six goals, while Zeki Celik has 61 caps and Caglar Soyuncu has 60.
They are joined by Abdulkerim Bardakci, Eren Elmali, Ferdi Kadioglu, Mert Muldur, Ozan Kabak and Samet Akaydin.
The group includes players from Turkish clubs, Serie A, the Bundesliga, the Premier League and Saudi football. Ferdi Kadioglu, who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion, is one of the squad's most prominent European-based defenders, while Zeki Celik represents AS Roma and Ozan Kabak plays for Hoffenheim.
Hakan Calhanoglu stands out as the most experienced player in the squad, with 106 senior caps and 22 goals. The Inter midfielder will wear the No. 10 shirt and enters the tournament as one of Türkiye's central leaders.
The midfield group also includes Ismail Yuksek of Fenerbahce, Kaan Ayhan of Galatasaray, Orkun Kokcu of Besiktas and Salih Ozcan of Borussia Dortmund.
Kaan Ayhan brings 73 caps, while Kokcu has reached 50 appearances for the national team. Together, the midfield list gives Türkiye a core that combines international experience with players based in Türkiye, Italy and Germany.
Türkiye's forward group includes several of the squad's youngest and most closely watched players.
Arda Guler of Real Madrid, born in 2005, has already reached 30 caps and scored six goals for the national team. Kenan Yildiz, also born in 2005 and playing for Juventus, has 28 caps and five goals.
Can Uzun of Eintracht Frankfurt and Deniz Gul of FC Porto add further youth to the attack. Uzun has six caps and one goal, while Gul has eight caps and two goals.
They are joined by Baris Alper Yilmaz, Irfan Can Kahveci, Kerem Akturkoglu, Oguz Aydin and Yunus Akgun.
Kerem Akturkoglu is the most productive attacker in the squad by senior national team goals, with 15 in 52 appearances. Yilmaz and Akgun bring further wide attacking options, while Kahveci adds experience with 47 caps.
Türkiye will be led by Italian head coach Vincenzo Montella.
His technical team includes assistant coaches Daniele Russo and Hakan Balta, along with performance, analysis and goalkeeping staff. The setup includes Pierpaolo Polino, Mert Basoglu, Vural Durmus, Dolunay Saray, Massimo Crivellaro, Okan Aydiner, Ozan Ozerkan and Emrah Karakovan.
With the Australia match set to open Türkiye's Group D campaign, Montella's squad now moves into the tournament with a clear mix of senior leadership and young players taking their first steps on the World Cup stage.
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