Türkiye begin World Cup qualifying push with tricky Georgia opener
Baku, September 4, AZERTAC
Türkiye’s national team launches its road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a demanding away test against Georgia on Thursday night in Tbilisi – a clash that could set the tone for a qualifying campaign filled with both promise and peril, according to Daily Sabah.
The Group E encounter kicks off at 7:00 p.m. local time (TSİ 19.00) at the Boris Paichadze National Stadium.
Drawn into a balanced yet dangerous Group E alongside Georgia, Bulgaria and reigning European champion Spain, Türkiye know the path to North America will be unforgiving.
Only the group winner earns a direct ticket to the expanded 48-team tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The 12 European group winners will qualify automatically, while the runners-up will join four Nations League entrants in a March 2026 playoff for the final four slots.
Türkiye open against Georgia before welcoming Spain to Konya on Sunday in a match already marked as potentially decisive.
Bulgaria and Spain will also square off later Thursday to complete the group’s opening round.
Head coach Vincenzo Montella enters his 24th match in charge seeking both momentum and consistency.
His record so far – 12 wins, seven losses and four draws – includes a resounding Nations League promotion last spring, when Türkiye crushed Hungary 6-1 on aggregate.
That campaign reinforced the team’s ability to impose itself against formidable opponents.
Montella has called up a 27-man squad that blends trusted veterans with emerging talents.
Captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu, now firmly established in Milan, anchors the midfield alongside Orkun Kökçü and Salih Özcan, with İsmail Yüksek and teenager Demir Ege Tıknaz adding depth.
Up front, the spotlight falls on Real Madrid’s Arda Güler and Juventus forward Kenan Yıldız, whose creativity and energy symbolize the new wave of Turkish football.
They are joined by Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Barış Alper Yılmaz, though the latter’s availability remains uncertain due to personal reasons.
At the back, Montella relies on familiar names such as Merih Demiral, Çağlar Söyüncü and Zeki Çelik, while the goalkeeping duties rotate between Altay Bayındır, Uğurcan Çakır and Mert Günok.
Türkiye arrive with confidence after a Euro 2024 quarterfinal run – their deepest at a major tournament since 2008 – though recent friendlies in the U.S. underlined the challenges ahead.
A victory over the Americans was quickly followed by a defeat to Mexico, a reminder of the competitive standards they will face should they qualify for the World Cup.
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