Australia vs Turkiye Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group Stage
Australia kick off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign against a Turkiye side that are back on the global stage for the first since reaching the semi-finals in Japan and Korea Republic in 2002.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – ITV / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – ITVX / USA – FOX One
Australia preview: Solid Socceroos
After a difficult start to the third round of AFC qualification for FIFA World Cup 2026, Australia parted company with manager Graham Arnold, who has since led Iraq to the tournament via the Asian play-off route, and replaced him with former Crystal Palace centre-back Tony Popovic.
The Australians eventually eased their way past the likes of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to join the dominant Japanese in securing automatic qualification from Group C of that stage of Asian qualifying, reaching what is now their sixth successive FIFA World Cup and seventh overall.
Australia head into the tournament on the back of a slender 1-0 defeat to co-hosts Mexico before then sharing a 1-1 draw with Switzerland a few days’ later.
Turkiye preview: Exciting Turks
Coached by former Italy international striker Vincenzo Montella, Turkiye have been improving for a while now and, after a good showing with a quarter-final appearance at UEFA EURO 2024, they are back on the global stage courtesy of some narrow play-off victories in the March international break.
The Turks, who boast the likes of Hakan Calhanoglu, Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz, didn’t have it all of their own way in those play-offs as they edged past Romania by a goal to nil in the semi-final at home before then defeating a strong and enterprising Kosovo side by the same scoreline in Pristina.
Turkiye showcased their quality in a pre-tournament friendly hammering of North Macedonia before then defeating Venezuela by two goals to one a few days’ later.
Australia team news
Mohamed Toure finished the Championship season in excellent form for Norwich City after his move in January. He has missed training in the build-up but believes he will be fit to face Turkiye in their opener.
Playing on the counter-attack will be the way that Australia approach this summer and Toure is key to that with Watford’s Nestory Irankunda, on loan from Bayern Munich, capable of producing magic. Whether or not he starts, though, is up in the air with Popovic potentially opting to use him as a ‘finisher’ in the second-half.
Predicted XI (3-5-2): Ryan; Herrington, Souttar, Circati; Italiano, O’Neill, Metcalfe, Irvine, Bos; Toure, Leckie
Unavailable:
Questionable: Toure (Injured)
Turkiye team news
Frustratingly for Turkiye, one of their star men in the final third, Kenan Yildiz, has to be deemed to be a doubt for this one as he only returned to partial training late in the week in the build-up to their opener due to an injury.
If Yildiz isn’t at full fitness for the clash then it could well be that Yunus Akgun, who scored against Venezuela, plays out-wide with Baris Alper Yilmaz on the other side, either side of Arda Guler and in behind either Kerem Akturkoglu or Deniz Gul.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Cakir; Celik, Demiral, Soyuncu, Kadioglu; Calhanoglu, Ayhan; Yilmaz, Guler, Akgun; Akturkoglu
Unavailable:
Questionable: Yildiz (Fitness)
Australia’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Jacob Italiano ($4.2m) – Defender
Jordan Bos ($4.0m) – Defender
Nestory Irankunda ($5.1m) – Forward
Matchday 1 captain pick: Nestory Irankunda
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez
Free kicks: Lionel Messi
Corners: Lionel Messi, Rodrigo de Paul
Turkiye’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Ferdi Kadioglu ($4.3m) – Defender
Arda Guler ($7.0m) – Midfielder
Kenan Yildiz ($7.0m) – Midfielder
Matchday 1 captain pick: Arda Guler
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Hakan Calhanoglu
Free kicks: Hakan Calhanoglu, Arda Guler
Corners: Hakan Calhanoglu, Arda Guler
Key stats
- Australia are through to their sixth successive FIFA World Cup, having featured at every edition since 2006. Overall, this will be their seventh appearance at the finals.
- Australia have lost their opening match in five of their six previous FIFA World Cup appearances. The lone exception was their 3-1 victory over Japan in 2006.
- Tony Popovic is the first person ever to represent Australia at the FIFA World Cup both as a player and as a head coach. His lone World Cup appearance as a player came against Brazil at the 2006 finals.
- Australia’s Aziz Behich has played for four Turkish clubs – Bursaspor (2013-18), Istanbul Basaksehir (2019/20), Kayserispor (2020/21 loan) and Giresunspor (2021/22).
- Turkiye have ended a 24‑year absence from the FIFA World Cup, returning to the global stage for the first time since their memorable third‑place finish in 2002.
- This is Turkiye’s third FIFA World Cup participation: they debuted in 1954 (group‑stage exit) and famously reached the semi‑finals in 2002, losing to eventual champions Brazil before defeating Korea Republic to claim third place.
- Turkiye lost their opening match in each of their previous two FIFA World Cup participations: 4-1 v. Germany FR in 1954 and 2-1 v. Brazil in 2002.
- Mathew Ryan and Mathew Leckie are appearing at their fourth FIFA World Cup, equalling the Australian record jointly held by Tim Cahill and Mark Milligan. Ryan and Leckie are already joint record‑holders for most World Cup matches played for Australia, with both having made ten appearances.
Click here for EVEN MORE stats & facts about this fixture!
Australia vs Turkiye prediction
Australia are now FIFA World Cup regulars. The Socceroos reached the knockout stages in Qatar in 2022 and were tough to beat for eventual winners Argentina, who edged past them by two goals to one. That experience and general solidity that has been improved upon by Popovic should ensure they are awkward to play against in an evenly-matched group that consists of co-hosts USA, as well as a Paraguay side that finished South American qualifying extremely well. Turkiye, on the other hand, are a different animal with a high ceiling but also a floor that has majorly undermined them on a fairly regular basis, as shown by a 6-0 loss to Spain in qualification. Turkiye offer opponents plenty of opportunities to score but will also believe they themselves can outscore a lot of teams this summer, perhaps beginning with the Australians.
Australia vs Turkiye betting tip: Turkiye to win & both teams to score
