Türkiye to face Hungary in UEFA Nations League play-off: Key absences, new call-ups
Hakan Calhanoglu and Dominik Szoboszlai appear with Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex in the background, alongside the logos of the Turkish Football Federation and the Hungarian Football Federation (Türkiye Today)
The Turkish national football team will play against Hungary in the first match of the UEFA Nations League A/B play-off on Thursday.
The match will be held at RAMS Park, kicking off at 8 p.m. local time. The match will be officiated by Slovak referee Ivan Kruzliak, with Branislav Hancko and Jan Pozor as assistant referees. Peter Kralovic will serve as the fourth official.
The second leg will take place on March 23, 2025, at the Puskás Arena in Budapest.
Türkiye’s goal: Promotion to League A
Türkiye, having finished second in League B, will meet Hungary in a crucial two-legged play-off. The winner will be promoted to League A, while the loser will remain in League B.
If Türkiye wins against Hungary, it will secure promotion to League A, marking a significant achievement for the team.
How Türkiye reached play-offs
Türkiye finished second in Group 4 of League B, behind Wales. Below is a summary of Türkiye’s group stage results:
- Türkiye 1-1 Wales
- Türkiye 3-1 Iceland
- Türkiye 1-0 Montenegro
- Iceland 2-4 Türkiye
- Wales 0-0 Türkiye
- Montenegro 3-1 Türkiye
With 11 points, Türkiye secured second place in the group and advanced to the play-offs. A victory against Hungary would ensure their place in League A.
Key absences for Turkish national team
Türkiye will be missing two key players for today’s match. Arda Guler and Merih Demiral are both suspended and will not be available.
Additionally, Irfan Can Kahveci, Kerem Akturkoglu, Mert Muldur, and Orkun Kokcu are all one yellow card away from suspension. If any of these players receive a yellow card in Thursday’s match, they will miss the return leg.
Türkiye’s squad for Hungary match
Three players have been called up to the Turkish national team for the first time: Yusuf Akcicek, Taha Sahin, and Demir Ege Tiknaz. Several players, including Altay Bayindir, Caglar Soyuncu, Doghan Alemdar, Enes Unal, Ferdi Kadıoglu, Ozan Kabak, Yusuf Yazici, and Zeki Celik, are absent due to injuries.
Here is the full squad for the match against Hungary:
Goalkeepers:
- Berke Ozer (Eyupspor)
- Mert Gunok (Besiktas)
- Muhammed Sengezer (Basaksehir)
- Ugurcan Cakir (Trabzonspor)
Defenders:
- Abdulkerim Bardakci, Eren Elmali, Kaan Ayhan (Galatasaray)
- Emirhan Topcu (Besiktas)
- Merih Demiral (Al-Ahli)
- Mert Muldur
- Yusuf Akcicek (Fenerbahce)
- Samet Akaydin
- Taha Sahin (Caykur Rizespor)
Midfielders:
- Atakan Karazor (Stuttgart)
- Demir Ege Tiknaz (Rio Ave)
- Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter Milan)
- Ismail Yuksek (Fenerbahce)
- Orkun Kokcu (Benfica)
- Salih Ozcan (Borussia Dortmund)
Forwards:
- Ahmet Kutucu, Baris Alper Yilmaz, Yunus Akgun (Galatasaray)
- Arda Guler (Real Madrid)
- Can Uzun (Eintracht Frankfurt)
- Deniz Gul (Porto)
- Emre Mor (Eyupspor)
- Irfan Can Kahveci, Oguz Aydin (Fenerbahce)
- Kenan Yildiz (Juventus)
- Kerem Akturkoglu (Benfica)
Stadium, transportation information
- TFF announcement: The match will be held at the Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex in Istanbul. The stadium gates will open at 5 p.m. for spectators. It is recommended that fans arrive early to avoid delays at the entrance.
- Transportation and traffic information: Due to expected heavy traffic near the stadium, fans are advised to use public transportation instead of private cars.
Public transport options:
- Metro: The M2 Yenikapi-Haciosman line reaches Seyrantepe station, where shuttle buses will take fans to the stadium.
- Buses: IETT buses to Seyrantepe station are available, and special shuttle buses will operate on matchday.
- Minibuses and Dolmus: Minibuses from Maslak, Levent, and Celiktepe areas pass near the stadium.
- Taxis: Taxis are an alternative, but fans should expect heavy traffic.
