15.10.2025 12:50
The Turkish National Team secured a significant advantage on the road to the 2026 World Cup by defeating Georgia 4-1. With this victory, the team reached 9 points, and if they earn just 1 point in the remaining two matches, they will guarantee second place and qualify for the playoffs. Spain needs to drop points for the team to have a chance at the top spot. Here are the answers to all the questions that are being asked...
The Turkish National Football Team defeated Georgia 4-1 in the 9th week match of Group E of the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers in Kocaeli.
WE WIPED GEORGIA OFF THE FIELD
The goals of the crescent-star team were scored by Kenan Yıldız, Merih Demiral (2), and Yunus Akgün. With this victory, Turkey raised its points to 9, gaining a significant advantage for the top two spots in the group. While the group leader Spain has 12 points, Georgia remains at 3 points. Bulgaria, on the other hand, has not yet scored any points.
REMAINING MATCHES OF TURKEY
The national team will play a total of 6 matches in the group stage. After completing the first 4 matches, Turkey's remaining two matches are as follows;
- November 15, 20:00: Turkey – Bulgaria (Home)
- November 18, 22:45: Spain – Turkey (Away)
HOW DO WE GO TO THE WORLD CUP?
There are two possibilities for Turkey to qualify for the World Cup.
Direct qualification;
We need to finish Group E in the first place. For this, Spain must lose points in the remaining matches, and we must earn 6 points.
Qualification through play-offs;
This scenario is Turkey's strongest and most realistic target. Even earning just 1 point in the remaining two matches will eliminate the chance of Georgia and Bulgaria surpassing the national team. Thus, Turkey will finish the group in second place and secure a play-off ticket. In fact, if Georgia loses points, the national team can guarantee second place even without earning any points.
HOW WILL THE PLAY-OFF SYSTEM WORK?
In the play-off stage, a total of 16 teams will compete, including 12 teams that finish second in their groups and 4 teams from the UEFA Nations League. In this stage, the semi-final and final matches, which will be played in a single match format, will determine the 4 teams that will earn the last World Cup tickets from Europe. If Turkey finishes second in the group, it will be matched with the best group winners who could not qualify for the tournament based on their Nations League performance.