Turkey vs Paraguay confirmed teams and full line-up as Kenan Yildiz starts, TV channel, online streaming and stats
Turkey and Paraguay have confirmed their starting squads for the second day of their 2026 World Cup campaigns in Santa Clara on Saturday.
Crescent-Stars finished third in 2002 but were beaten 2-0 by Australia in the opening match this time.
La Albirroja also had a forgettable result on the first day of the match, losing 4-1 against the hosts in the USA.
The USMNT started the latest round of action in Group D by advancing to the round of 32 with a 2-0 win over the Socceroos on Friday.
Welcome ❤️🤍 #BizimÇocuklar pic.twitter.com/kNlCrSI4MH
— Türkiye #BizimÇocuklar 🇹🇷 (@MilliTakimlar) June 19, 2026
2026 World Cup: Turkey confirmed the group against Paraguay
Kenan Yildiz missed Turkiye’s defeat to Australia with an unspecified fitness problem but returns this time.
Turkiye starting XI: Ugurcan Cakir, Merih Demiral, Abdulkerim Bardakci, Mert Muldur, Ferdi Kadioglu, Hakan Calhanoglu, Ismail Yuksek, Kerem Akturkoglu, Arda Guler, Kenan Yildiz, Yunus Akgun
Other places to stay in Turkey: Mert Gunok, Altay Bayindir, Zeki Celik, Caglar Soyuncu, Eren Elmali, Ozan Kabak, Samet Akaydin, Salih Ozcan, Orkun Kokcu, Kaan Ayhan, Deniz Gul, Irfan Can Kahveci, Baris Alper Yilmaz, Oguz Aydin, Can
2026 World Cup: Paraguay to face Turkey
Gustavo Caballero (hamstring) and Ramon Sosa (ankle) were injury doubts for Paraguay and are on the bench.
Paraguay starting XI: Orlando Gill, Omar Alderrete, Juan Jose Caceres, Junior Alonso, Gustavo Gomez, Diego Gomez, Miguel Almiron, Andres Cubas, Matias Galarza, Julio Enciso, Isidro Pitta
Paraguay instead of: Gatito Fernandez, Gaston Olveira, Gustavo Velazquez, Fabian Balbuena, Jose Canale, Alexandro Maidana, Ramon Sosa, Mauricio, Damian Bobadilla, Braian Ojeda, Gustavo Caballero, Antonio Sanabria, Alejandro Romero Gamarra, Alex Arce, Gabriel Avalos
Where to watch Turkey v Paraguay: TV channel, live streaming online
Kick-off on Saturday will be at 04:00 BST (23:00 ET Friday / 20:00 PT Friday). In the UK, broadcast live on ITV1.
Fans can stream the action via the ITV website and the ITVX app, available on a range of devices for viewing on the go.
World Cup 2026: Turkey v Paraguay stats
- This is the first World Cup meeting between these teams, who played in a 0-0 draw in Chile in June 1995.
- Turkiye have lost nine of their last 13 matches in major tournaments (W4), although they have never lost consecutive matches in a single World Cup.
- They last lost consecutive games in March 2024 – in friendlies against Hungary and Austria – and last lost more than one competitive game in a row in June 2021, losing all three group games at EURO 2020.
- The Crescent-Stars’ defeat on the opening day of the match ended their eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions (W7 D1) and was their first defeat since a 6-0 defeat at home to Spain in September 2025.
- Vincenzo Montella is the second coach to lead Turkey to the finals of the EURO and this tournament, after Senol Gunes, who led them to third place in the 2002 World Cup.
- Paraguay have won two of their last 14 World Cup games against European opposition (D5 L7), although both were on the road: 3-1 against Slovenia in 2002 and 2-0 against Slovakia in 2010.
- They could lose their first two World Cup matches for the second time, having done so previously in 2006 when they lost to England and Sweden and were eliminated from the group stage.
- Against the USA, Paraguay conceded as many goals in the first half as they did in their previous 16 World Cup matches.
- Los Guaranies have not conceded more than a double in any of their 18 qualifying games
- Julio Enciso and Mauricio could become the first player to score or assist in both of Paraguay’s World Cup openers since Romerito in 1986 (2 goals)
