Türkiye trains in Arizona ahead of World Cup opener against Australia

Türkiye's national football team continued its World Cup preparations with a closed-door training session Tuesday in Mesa, Arizona, one day after hundreds of supporters cheered the Crescent-Stars at a public workout at the Arizona Athletic Grounds.

Closed session follows public workout

Tuesday's workout remained closed to supporters, marking a shift from Monday's open session that saw hundreds of Turkish fans turn out at the Arizona Athletic Grounds. The squad has established its World Cup base camp in Mesa, becoming the only team in Group D to choose Arizona as its tournament headquarters.

The Crescent-Stars are scheduled to open Group D play against Australia on June 13 at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, with kickoff set for 9 p.m. local time.

Group stage fixtures

Following the Australia opener, Türkiye will face Paraguay on June 19 before taking on co-host nation the United States on June 25. All three matches will be critical as the team seeks to advance from the expanded 48-nation tournament format.

The match against Australia will kick off at 9 p.m. local time in Vancouver, corresponding to 0400GMT on June 14.

Expanded tournament format

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, begins on June 11 and runs through July 19. The competition will feature 48 nations for the first time in the tournament's history, up from the previous 32-team structure.

This year's expanded format increases the field by 16 teams, offering more nations the opportunity to compete on football's biggest stage.