Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz are central figures in Turkiye’s final 26-player World Cup squad named by Vincenzo Montella, with the list containing few major surprises as Turkiye prepare for only their third appearance at the tournament and their first since finishing third in 2002.

Montella’s side reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a solid qualifying campaign in Europe, where Turkiye finish just two points behind Spain in their group, then edge past Romania and Kosovo with successive 1-0 victories in the play-offs to secure their return.

Turkiye are placed in Group D and begin against Australia in Vancouver on 13 June, then face Paraguay in San Francisco before meeting co-hosts United States in Los Angeles, with the tournament itself staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July.

Creative responsibility will rest heavily on Guler, who has played 51 matches for Real Madrid in all competitions since the end of last year’s Club World Cup, with only Vinicius Junior appearing more often for Los Blancos in that period, registering 53 games across domestic and international fixtures.

Guler also leads all Madrid players for chances created in the 2025-26 season, amassing 111 key passes, and finishes as one of four members of the squad to record at least 20 goal contributions, scoring six times and supplying 14 assists as the playmaker establishes an important attacking role.

Yildiz provides another major threat, with the Juventus forward averaging 3.5 completed dribbles per 90 minutes in the UEFA World Cup qualifiers; among players who feature for at least 500 minutes, only Jeremy Doku with 6.6 and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia with 4.1 post better numbers.

Leadership comes from Hakan Calhanoglu, who will captain Turkiye at the World Cup, while Eintracht Frankfurt forward Can Uzun earns a place after scoring in Monday’s 4-0 friendly victory over North Macedonia, reinforcing attacking depth in a squad that already includes several options in wide and central roles.

Montella first assembles a provisional roster of 35 players for assessment and training camps, before reducing that list by nine names ahead of Tuesday’s final announcement, leaving a balanced group containing domestic-based players from clubs such as Fenerbahce and Galatasaray alongside others representing teams across major European leagues.

Turkiye World Cup squad list featuring Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz

Turkiye’s confirmed World Cup squad, with players and clubs, is listed below in positional groups.

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Turkiye arrive at the 2026 World Cup with a squad shaped by domestic talent and overseas experience, fronted by creative figures Guler and Yildiz, and guided by captain Calhanoglu, as Montella attempts to build on the team’s strong qualification form in a challenging Group D schedule.