Australia - Turkey / 2026 FIFA World Cup

Follow the LIVE broadcast of the Australia vs. Turkey match in Group D of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on ŠPORT.sk! The match, also broadcast live on JOJ Šport, kicks off at 06:00 AM.

Two distinct footballing philosophies will clash in the opening fixture of Group D. While Australia's presence among the elite is a firm tradition, their European opponents are experiencing a massive footballing resurgence after nearly a quarter-century. On paper, the technically superior Turks are favored, but the tenacious "Socceroos" won't go down without a fight. A tactical battle looms on the pitch, where the Australian squad will need to dig deep defensively and rely on quick counter-attacks.

Australia is set to appear in their sixth consecutive World Cup. Four years ago in Qatar, they made a strong impression, reaching the Round of 16 and giving eventual champions Argentina a tough challenge. However, the team under Tony Popovic has long struggled with one fundamental issue: they consistently falter in their opening tournament matches. The "Socceroos" have lost their last four World Cup openers, and their overall record since 2006 (4 wins, 3 draws, and 10 losses) doesn't inspire optimism.

Australia's current playing style primarily relies on a solid defensive block and a three-center-back system. While they qualified from Asia in second place with a 5-4-1 record, they visibly struggle in attack. In seven of their last eight matches, they've scored a maximum of one goal, and in four of their last five defeats, they failed to score at all. Their transition play under pressure could also be a problem. Furthermore, the availability of Mohamed Touré is questionable after he missed pre-match training, which would be a shame given his excellent form at the end of the club season with Norwich, where he scored five goals in his last four games.

Turkey is experiencing a renaissance. They will appear at the "Mundial" for the first time since their memorable bronze medal run in 2002. The current generation, under the guidance of Italian strategist Vincenzo Montella, has built on their quarter-final journey at EURO 2024 and their dominant promotion to League A of the Nations League. The Turks navigated the qualification rounds with only one loss (6-1-1) and have maintained a fantastic record of 11 wins, one draw, and two losses since the beginning of last year – only Spain (0:6) and Mexico (0:1) have found a way to beat them. In the playoffs, they showed a new face, advancing past Romania and Kosovo with two pragmatic 1-0 victories.

The greatest strength of Montella's squad lies in the space between the lines, where creative aces Arda Güler, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Orkun Kökçü operate. Güler, in particular, is 100% fit after injury. Conversely, Kenan Yıldız and Ferdi Kadıoğlu were preventatively rested for the last friendly against Venezuela (2:1). Kökçü is drawing significant attention, having had a season with Besiktas boasting 16 goal contributions (8 goals, 8 assists) and also scoring in the dress rehearsal against North Macedonia (4:0).

The two nations last met 22 years ago, when Turkey triumphed in both friendly matches. Even in the current encounter, the scales tip in favor of the Europeans. Not only do they possess greater individual talent, but also a historical success rate at the World Cup against Asian opponents, having won all four previous meetings. On the other hand, a rout is not expected. Given their playing styles, a cautious start with fewer goals is more likely, as Turkey has kept a clean sheet in four of their last five victories.