Turkey plays final World Cup friendly against Venezuela

The Turkish national football team is facing Venezuela in their final friendly match before the 2026 World Cup, hosted at the Inter Miami Stadium. The game, broadcast live and free on ATV, is a crucial test for Vincenzo Montella's squad as they fine-tune their strategies.

Montella has opted for significant squad rotation, making seven changes from the lineup that played against North Macedonia. Key players like Uğurcan Çakır, Zeki Çelik, Arda Güler, and Abdülkerim Bardakcı are brought in, while others such as Altay Bayındır and Mert Müldür are rested or not included in the squad. Notably, Kenan Yıldız and Ferdi Kadıoğlu are unavailable due to treatment.

A significant moment in the match is Zeki Çelik wearing the captain's armband for the first time in his international career. Regular captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu begins the game as a substitute. The match also saw a reunion as Turkish player Çağlar Söyüncü met his former coach Oscar Ortega, who is part of Venezuela's technical staff.

Turkish fans have shown strong support, filling the stands in Miami with national team jerseys and vocal encouragement. Following this match, the team, nicknamed "Bizim Çocuklar" (Our Boys), will travel to their main training camp in Arizona. Their World Cup journey begins on June 14 against Australia, with whom they share Group D alongside the United States and Paraguay.