Montella announces provisional squad for World Cup

ISTANBUL

 Türkiye coach Vincenzo Montella on May 18 announced a 35-man provisional squad for the 2026 World Cup, banking on a blend of elite youth and veteran stars to mark the nation’s first appearance at the global tournament in 24 years.

The preliminary roster features teenage stars Arda Güler of Real Madrid and Kenan Yıldız of Juventus, as well as veteran players such as Inter Milan midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Galatasaray’s Kaan Ayhan and İrfan Can Kahveci of Fenerbahçe.

Montella faces a June 2 deadline to drop nine players from the list and finalize his 26-man squad for the tournament, which begins next month.

The squad will assemble for training on May 22 at the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) headquarters in Istanbul to begin final preparations.

Türkiye will play two friendly matches before the World Cup: The first against North Macedonia on June 1 in Istanbul, followed by a final rehearsal against Venezuela on June 7 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
In its World Cup since 2002, Türkiye faces a challenging path in Group D, opening its campaign against Australia on June 13 in Vancouver. It will then play Paraguay on June 19 in the San Francisco Bay Area before a high-profile matchup against the co-host United States on June 25 in Los Angeles.