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USA will square off against Turkey in their final World Cup 2026 group stage match at SoFi Stadium on Friday.
The tournament's co-hosts have been the best team in Group D and are guaranteed a place in the round of 32.
Turkey, on the other hand, will hope to close out their disappointing campaign with a win.
Read our Turkey vs USA prediction, preview and betting tips below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions, as well as our best football World Cup betting offers.
Turkey vs USA key stats
- Seven of USA's last nine matches went above the 2.5-goal threshold.
- Both teams were on the scoresheet in eight of USA's last 10 games.
- USA drew first blood in six of their last eight fixtures.
Turkey vs USA preview: Business as usual for the co-hosts?
| Turkey | vs | USA |
|---|---|---|
| 22nd | FIFA Ranking | 17th |
| Hakan Calhanoglu (108) | Most Caps | Christian Pulisic (87) |
| Hakan Calhanoglu (22) | Most Goals | Christian Pulisic (33) |
| 1005 | Total Caps | 993 |
| 97 | Total Goals | 130 |
| 0 | Uncapped Players | 0 |
Being considered one of the top teams in Group D, Turkey were the favourites in their first two games against Australia and Paraguay.
However, even though they registered over 60 shots in two group games, Vincenzo Montella's troops lost both fixtures without scoring a single goal.
As it stands, Turkey have been eliminated from this competition and are guaranteed to finish last, regardless of the outcome of this fixture. Even if they won this match and were tied on points with either Paraguay or Australia, they would lose the H2H tiebreaker.
On that note, Montella faces the choice of playing for pride or heavily rotating his starting XI. The Italian gaffer has a fully fit squad with no suspension worries ahead of this dead-rubber game.
Not only have the USMNT been guaranteed a place in the round of 32, but they have also secured the top spot in Group D, regardless of the outcome of the last round of fixtures.
USA have four key players sitting on yellow cards, and to avoid tournament-enforced suspensions in the next round, coach Mauricio Pochettino is expected to rest Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, Antonee Robinson, and Chris Richards against the Turks.
Team captain Christian Pulisic, who missed the 2-0 win over Australia due to a left calf strain, is now back to full training and has been cleared to participate in this contest. However, it remains to be seen whether Pochettino will risk him for such a low-stakes clash.
However, it is worth mentioning that the USMNT have a poor track record against European sides, having lost their last eight encounters with teams from this continent, including a 2-1 defeat against Turkey in June last year.
In fact, the last time the tournament's co-hosts didn't lose to a UEFA-affiliated team was during their 2022 World Cup opening draw against Wales, and their last victory against a European outfit came in a December 2021 friendly with Bosnia & Herzegovina.
That said, this will be the first competitive clash between these sides in 23 years. Both teams have two wins apiece with a draw between them in their previous five skirmishes.
Turkey vs USA form guide & betting tips
| Turkey | vs | USA |
|---|---|---|
W
W
W
L
L
|
Form |
L
W
L
W
W
|
| 7 | Goals For | 10 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 7 |
L
L
|
World Cup Form |
W
W
|
Whispers Predicts: Turkey 2-1 USA
At 49/50 (1.98), USA are considered favourites by the bookmakers.
However, considering the USMNT’s losing streak against European sides, coupled with the probability of their resting key players for this inconsequential fixture, we are confident that Turkey will earn their first win of the competition.
Moreover, five previous skirmishes between these teams have all featured goals at both ends, so we fancy BTTS – Yes at 7/10 (1.70).
Furthermore, a 2-1 win for Turkey can be backed at 11/1 (12.00). The last four H2Hs ended with this scoreline, although each team won two apiece.
> Over 2.5 total goals at 3/4 (1.75) | Likelihood: Probable
> BTTS – Yes at 7/10 (1.70) | Likelihood: Probable
> Match result: Turkey at 27/10 (3.70) | Likelihood: Possible
> Turkey & BTTS – Yes at 26/5 (6.20) | Likelihood: Possible
> Correct Score: 2-1 at 11/1 (12.00) | Likelihood: Outsider