Match Preview
Türkiye and the USMNT close out Group D on June 25 at SoFi Stadium in a fixture with the look of a decisive finale, with both sides likely needing a result to settle qualification. After a 24-year absence, a young, talented Türkiye returns to the World Cup as a genuine dark horse, while the co-host Americans will be desperate to advance on home soil. The two met as recently as June 2025, when Türkiye won a friendly 2-1.
This is matchday three, and with Paraguay and Australia also in the group, the table is likely to be tight enough that this result decides who advances and who goes home. For the USA there is the added weight of being a co-host expected to reach the knockouts in front of a home crowd.
USA's back line vs Arda Güler. Containing Türkiye's playmaker is more or less the whole game.
The standings. Depending on the earlier results, the U.S. may know exactly what it needs — a win, a draw, or simply to avoid a heavy loss.
Tactical Preview
Expect Türkiye to try to control the ball through their gifted midfield, with Hakan Çalhanoğlu dictating tempo from deep and Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız receiving in pockets to create. Montella's 4-2-3-1 is possession-heavy and front-foot but can be vulnerable in transition, which plays into the USMNT's strengths. The USA will likely press high, win the ball in midfield, and hit Türkiye on the break through pace out wide. With both sides comfortable in possession, midfield control and final-third quality should decide a potentially open, end-to-end game.
Pochettino's USMNT favors a possession-based 4-3-3 built on aggressive high pressing, with Pulisic and Tim Weah providing width and Tyler Adams anchoring midfield. Against a technically superior Türkiye, expect the Americans to pick their pressing moments, stay compact, and attack the space behind Türkiye's adventurous full-backs in transition. Set pieces and the home crowd could be difference-makers.
Scouting Türkiye
Türkiye qualified for their first World Cup since 2002, ending a 24-year absence, and arrive as one of the tournament's most intriguing dark horses. Powered by a celebrated generation of young attacking talent, they reached the Euro 2024 quarterfinals and carry real belief they can do more than make up the numbers.
Vincenzo Montella, the former AC Milan and Fiorentina manager who took the job in September 2023, has won close to 60% of his matches and is regarded as a flexible, attack-minded tactician.
Typically a 4-2-3-1 (occasionally 4-3-3), favoring an aggressive, possession-heavy, front-foot style built around midfield control while staying compact without the ball.
Türkiye have lost only twice since early 2025 and kept clean sheets in both World Cup playoff wins, heading in with momentum despite a heavy 6-0 home defeat to Spain during qualifying.
Finished second behind Spain in their UEFA group, taking 13 of 18 points, then advanced through the playoffs with successive 1-0 wins over Romania and Kosovo, Kerem Aktürkoğlu scoring the decisive winner.
Only Türkiye's third World Cup ever (1954, 2002, 2026). Their stunning third-place finish in 2002 remains their best result. Most recently they reached the Euro 2024 quarterfinals, losing 2-1 to the Netherlands.
- +Elite creative midfield with Çalhanoğlu, Güler and Yıldız
- +Technical ball control and patient build-up in possession
- +Dangerous wide creativity and attacking flair
- +Genuine top-club experience throughout the spine
- –No top-tier natural No. 9; lacks a proven elite striker
- –Front-foot approach can leave them exposed in transition
- –Limited recent World Cup experience at this level
Players to Watch
The 21-year-old playmaker is the face of Türkiye's new generation and one of the most exciting young creators in world football.
The deep-lying playmaker who dictates Türkiye's tempo and is a set-piece and penalty specialist.
A rapidly rising young forward who gives Türkiye another high-ceiling attacking threat alongside Güler.
A versatile, attacking-minded full-back who provides width and overlapping support.
An emotional spark who scored the decisive playoff winner that sent Türkiye to the World Cup.
Arda Güler. His vision, passing range and shooting from midfield can unlock a defense in one moment, and he is the player most likely to produce decisive quality if the USA press leaves space in front of their back line.
Head-to-Head
The USA and Türkiye have a short but fairly even all-time series, meeting only a handful of times since 1991. The most recent encounter, a June 2025 friendly, went Türkiye's way.
Historically the USMNT held a narrow edge (about 2W-1D-1L through 2014); Türkiye's 2-1 win in June 2025 has evened the series.
Jun 7, 2025 — Türkiye 2-1 USA (friendly, East Hartford, CT). Arda Güler and Kerem Aktürkoğlu scored for Türkiye; Jack McGlynn netted early for the USA.
The USA beat Türkiye 2-1 on Jun 1, 2014 at Red Bull Arena (Fabian Johnson and Clint Dempsey) in a World Cup send-off match.
This is close to a coin flip between two evenly matched sides, but Türkiye's superior individual quality through the spine — Çalhanoğlu, Güler, Yıldız — gives them a slight edge in a tight game. If the USA can win the midfield battle and exploit transitions, a home draw or narrow win is very plausible. A 1-1 or 2-1 either way feels most likely, with the outcome possibly hinging on a single moment of magic or a defensive error.