Turkiye return to action at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara on Saturday, looking to get their World Cup campaign back on track.
Vincenzo Montella’s side fell to a 2-0 defeat against Australia on matchday one despite dominating possession and creating a host of chances. They now face Paraguay, who were beaten 4-1 by the United States in their opener, in a fixture that both sides must win to keep their knockout hopes alive.
The Crescent-Stars controlled 72 per cent of possession and fired 30 shots at goal in Vancouver, yet left with nothing to show for it. A win tonight would lift Turkiye back into contention in a Group D already shaped by the early dominance of the United States and Australia.
Turkiye team news
A largely healthy squad gives Montella the tactical freedom he needs ahead of this critical fixture. Ugurcan Cakir retains his place in goal. Merih Demiral and Abdulkerim Bardakci continue at centre-back, with Zeki Celik and Ferdi Kadioglu as the full-backs, both expected to push forward and provide width in attack.
Captain Hakan Calhanoglu dictates from deep in midfield, with Ismail Yuksek alongside him offering defensive cover. Orkun Kokcu bridges the gap between the midfield pivot and the attacking unit. Kenan Yildiz is pushing to start after overcoming a minor injury concern and would add real flair to the frontline if selected.
Arda Guler is expected to feature regardless, carrying Turkiye’s primary creative responsibility after testing Australia repeatedly in the opener. Kerem Akturkoglu’s pace will look to stretch the Paraguayan defence, with Baris Alper Yilmaz providing physicality and direct running across the frontline.
Turkiye predicted lineup
Turkiye possible starting XI: Cakir; Celik, Demiral, Bardakci, Kadioglu; Calhanoglu, Yuksek; Guler, Kokcu, Yilmaz; Akturkoglu
When does the match kick off?
The Group D fixture kicks off at 04:00 BST in the early hours of Saturday, 20 June 2026, at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara.
How to watch Turkiye vs Paraguay?
UK viewers can watch the match live on ITV1, with a live stream available via ITVX.
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