Turkiye starting lineup vs Paraguay confirmed for FIFA World Cup 2026 match

The Crescent-Stars are seeking their first win in the ongoing World Cup tonight.

Turkiye face Paraguay in a crucial Group D clash in the FIFA World Cup 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on June 19. The Crescent-Stars come into the match following a shock 2-0 loss to Australia in their opener and are still seeking their first victory in the expanded 48-team tournament in North America.

Despite having 72% of the ball and 30 shots, the Turkish side failed to breach the Australian defence. They also conceded in each half from Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, condemning the dark horses to an unlikely defeat.

The result also brought an end to their eight-match unbeaten run since September, during which period they won all but one of their games. Despite the setback, Vincenzo Montella’s side remain one of the strongest teams in the group and will look to get back to winning ways against Paraguay, who were beaten 4-1 by the USA in their first match.

Also Read: Turkiye vs Paraguay: Five key battles to watch out for in FIFA World Cup 2026

Let’s look at the Turkiye lineup for the FIFA World Cup 2026 match against Paraguay:

Turkiye starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Ugurcan Cakir; Mert Muldur, Merih Demiral, Abdulkerim Bardakci, Ferdi Kadioglu; Ismail Yuksek, Hakan Calhanoglu; Arda Guler, Yunus Akgun, Kerem Akturkoglu; Kenan Yildiz.

Substitutes: Mert Günok, Altay Bayındır, Zeki Çelik, Çağlar Söyüncü, Eren Elmalı, Ozan Kabak, Samet Akaydın, Salih Özcan, Orkun Kökçü, Kaan Ayhan, Deniz Gül, İrfan Can Kahveci, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Oğuz Aydın, Can Uzun

Thoughts on the lineup

Galatasaray custodian Ugurcan Cakir had a rough time against Australia, but he keeps his place between the sticks in tonight’s match. Merih Demiral and Abdulkerim Bardakci start in central defence, flanked on either side by Brighton’s Ferdi Kadioglu and Mert Muldur.

Talismanic midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu starts in the middle of the park, joined by Ismail Yuksek. Kenan Yildiz is fit enough to start. Arda Guler, Yunus Akgun, and Kerem Akturkoglu start up front.

Akturkoglu, despite drawing a blank against Australia, keeps his place, with Montella preferring him to Deniz Gul.

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