Turkey welcomes European titans Spain in a pivotal World Cup qualifying match
In the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers, Turkey and Spain will face off at the MEDAS Konya Buyuksehir Stadium on Sunday. This highly-anticipated match promises an exciting encounter between two strong football nations.
The Spanish squad for the game includes Unai Simon, Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsi, Dean Huijsen, Marc Cucurella, Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi, Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Mikel Oyarzabal. Spain's roster has been slightly affected by injuries, with Gavi and Yeremy Pino being ruled out after being removed from the squad before the Bulgaria match.
Turkey's team for the match consists of Ugurcan Cakir, Mert Muldur, Merih Demiral, Abdulkerim Bardakci, Eren Elmali, Ismail Yuksek, Hakan Calhanoglu, Yunus Akgun, Arda Guler, Kenan Yildiz, and Kerem Akturkoglu. Notably, Baris Alper Yilmaz, a key player for Turkey, will be absent due to a suspension following a red card in the Georgia match.
The MEDAS Konya Buyuksehir Stadium, with a capacity of 42,000, has witnessed some notable victories in the past, including a 2-0 win over 2018 World Cup champions France and a 3-0 triumph against the Netherlands. The stadium also played host to Turkey's dramatic last-minute victory over Iceland that secured direct qualification for the 2016 European Championship.
This will be the 12th encounter between Turkey and Spain, with Spain leading the head-to-head record with 6 wins, 4 draws, and 2 losses. However, Turkey has a good record at the MEDAS Konya Buyuksehir Stadium, with 4 victories, 2 draws, and 2 defeats in 8 matches since 2014.
The match is scheduled for 9:45 p.m. local time (20:45 CET/18:45 UTC), with English referee Michael Oliver officiating the game. Oliver will be assisted by compatriots Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring.
Both teams have started their World Cup qualifying campaigns on a positive note. Turkey opened their campaign with a 3-2 away win over Georgia, while Spain dominated Bulgaria 3-0. In total, Turkey has scored 5 goals and conceded 17 against Spain in all their meetings.
As of now, Spain leads the group on goal difference, with Turkey in second place. The winner of this match could potentially take a significant step towards securting a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
This promises to be an exciting encounter between two strong teams, and football fans worldwide are eagerly waiting for the match.
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