Turkiye vs USA FIFA World Cup 2026 Preview: Everything you need to know

World Cup - Grp. D

Los Angeles Stadium

Turkiye vs the USA will kick off on 25 Jun 2026 at 22:00 EST and at 02:00 GMT on the following morning.

Match preview

With Paraguay's win over Turkiye on Friday, the USMNT has already sealed top spot in Group D with a match to spare. Turkiye are going home after this, so there's a relative 'dead rubber' feel about this fixture. Still, American supporters will turn out in their numbers in Los Angeles to watch a side building momentum. Coach Mauricio Pochettino also has the luxury of rotating his squad, if he so wishes. Meanwhile, Turkiye exits the tournament with its tail between its legs after a campaign that has flattered to deceive, losing both of its group games so far.

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USA's key players and coach

Talismanic winger Christian Pulisic enters the tournament, bringing in his experience from AC Milan and is locked into his starting role on the left flank, while Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi compete to lead the line as the starting central striker. In midfield, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams return to anchor the spine. 38-year-old veteran Tim Ream is officially the oldest player ever to appear for the United States at a men's FIFA World Cup, after he appeared in their opening-day win against Paraguay, skippering them there and then against Australia. Talismanic star Pulisic might still be out for another two weeks after picking up a knock against Paraguay.Turkiye vs USA FIFA World Cup 2026 Preview: Everything you need to knowComprehensive match preview of Morocco vs Haiti at World Cup 2026. We talk tactics, team news and more.

World Cup - Grp. D

Los Angeles Stadium

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Coach Mauricio Pochettino called up eight MLS-based stars alongside the core of their European golden generation.

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Türkiye's key players and coach

The undisputed core of Vincenzo Montella's system revolves around generational midfield brilliance and creative flair. 21-year-old phenom Arda Güler and starlet Kenan Yıldız headline a lethal attacking midfield group, tasked with unlocking spaces behind opposing defences. Maestro Hakan Çalhanoğlu wears the captain's armband and dictates the tempo from deep, flanked by the defensive work rate of Ferdi Kadıoğlu and the experience of Zeki Çelik. The attack has failed to click in the Americas, however, with zero goals in defeats to Australia and Paraguay.

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Likely Turkiye XI

Cakir; Muldur, Demiral, Bardacki, Kadioglu; Yuksek, Calhanoglu; Akgun, Guler, Yildiz; Akturkoglu.

Likely USA XI

Freese; Freeman, Richards, Ream, Robinson; Adams; McKennie, Tillman; Dest, Balogun, Pepi.

USA's 26-man squad

Goalkeepers: Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution).

Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Sergino Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach), Auston Trusty (Celtic).

Midfielders: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Gio Reyna (Borussia Monchengladbach), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen), Tim Weah (Marseille), Alejandro Zendejas (Club America).

Forwards: Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Haji Wright (Coventry City).

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Turkiye's 26-man squad

Goalkeepers: Altay Bayindir (Manchester United), Mert Gunok (Fenerbahce), Ugurcan Cakir (Galatasaray).

Defenders: Abdulkerim Bardakci (Galatasaray), Caglar Soyuncu (Fenerbahce), Eren Elmali (Galatasaray), Ferdi Kadioglu (Brighton), Merih Demiral (Al-Ahli Saudi), Mert Muldur (Fenerbahce), Ozan Kabak (Hoffenheim), Samet Akaydin (Caykur Rizespor), Zeki Celik (AS Roma).

Midfielders: Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter Milan), Ismail Yuksek (Fenerbahce), Kaan Ayhan (Galatasaray), Orkun Kokcu (Besiktas), Salih Ozcan (Borussia Dortmund).

Forwards: Arda Guler (Real Madrid), Baris Alper Yilmaz (Galatasaray), Can Uzun (Eintracht Frankfurt), Deniz Gul (Porto), Irfan Can Kahveci (Kasimpasa), Kenan Yildiz (Juventus), Kerem Akturkoglu (Fenerbahce), Oguz Aydin (Fenerbahce), Yunus Akgun (Galatasaray).

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Team news & squads

Turkiye vs USA Probable lineups

Turkiye

TUR

Formation

USA

USA

USA

USA

Manager

• V. Montella

Vincenzo Montella has not confirmed a probable lineup for Turkiye ahead of this match, and no injuries or suspensions are currently listed in the available squad data. Further team news will be added closer to kick-off as updates emerge.

Mauricio Pochettino has similarly not released a projected XI for the United States. No injury or suspension concerns have been officially confirmed, though Christian Pulisic's training situation is one to monitor. Those inside the USMNT camp expect him to be available. Updates will follow as the match approaches.

Form

Turkiye head into this fixture with four wins from their last five matches, though their most recent outing ended in a 2-0 defeat to Australia in their World Cup opener on June 14. Before that loss, they had strung together three consecutive wins, including a 4-0 friendly victory over North Macedonia and a 2-1 win over Venezuela. In World Cup qualifying, they beat both Kosovo and Romania 1-0 in back-to-back fixtures. Across those five matches, Turkiye scored eight goals and conceded three.

The USA have two wins and two losses from their last five games, with their most recent result a 4-1 victory over Paraguay on June 13 in their World Cup opener. Prior to that, they lost 1-2 to Germany in a friendly on June 6, having beaten Senegal 3-2 the week before. Earlier results include losses to Portugal and Belgium. The USA scored 10 goals and conceded 10 across those five fixtures.

Head-to-Head Record

TUR

Last 3 matches

USA

1

Win

0

Draws

2

Wins

• USA

  1

  -

  2

  Turkiye

• USA

  2

  -

  1

  Turkiye

• USA

  2

  -

  1

  Turkiye

4

Goals scored

5

Games over 2.5 goals

3/3

Both teams scored

3/3

The two sides have met three times in the available head-to-head data, with the most recent fixture taking place on June 7, 2025, when Turkiye beat the USA 2-1 in a friendly. Before that, the USA won both recorded meetings, defeating Turkiye 2-1 in a friendly in June 2014 and again 2-1 in May 2010. Turkiye hold one win from the three matches, with the USA winning the other two.

Standings

In Group D, the USA currently sit top of the table in first place, while Turkiye are third after their opening-day defeat.