Turkey soccer team practices in Mesa ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup

Bizim Cocuklar is a term coined by Turkey national team fans to describe this year's World Cup selection.

>It means “our guys.” A title and a connection 24 years in the making to describe a common bond between fans, athletes and their love of soccer.

>The Turkish national team was in Mesa on Monday, June 8, to prepare for its 2026 FIFA World Cup opening matchup on June 13 against Group D opponent Australia at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

>A capacity crowd was on hand at Mesa's Arizona Athletic Grounds to watch the team practice.

>Turkey fan Emreu Uludag drove with his family from Tucson to watch.

>“I was born in 2003 so I haven’t seen this team make the World Cup in my lifetime,” Uludag said. “It’s a crazy experience, let alone the base camp is taking place here in Phoenix, so we feel so lucky.”

>Turkey’s national team last made the World Cup in 2002, when the tournament was held in South Korea and Japan. Its only other appearance was in 1954.

>Turkey made the semifinals in 2002, finishing third after an unexpected run. They lost to eventual World Cup champion Brazil in the semifinal match.

>This year, the Turkey national team includes two rising young stars, Juventus FC forward Kenan Yildiz and Real Madrid forward Arda Güler. Both players are just 21 and have generated a large following.

>It was Güler’s number 8 jersey that could be seen throughout Monday's event in Mesa, which included a fan festival to welcome the Turkish team to the Valley.

>“I’m not really into it, I just want to meet the players,” said Geqivan Alban, a Phoenix-area resident who attended the event with a friend. “I am excited about Arda Güler. He’s really good and I look up to him because he’s only a few years older than me.”

>Alban’s friend, Justin Blackwell, who thought that Turkey would fall to the U.S. in their matchup, expressed a similar sentiment.

>“Even still, I just want him [Güler] to sign my jersey.” Blackwell said.

>The hype surrounding the event and the World Cup is one reason Dalia Janes, an East Valley resident, brought her family out.

>“We’re not Turkey fans but I think we have World Cup fever,” Janes said. “We heard this was happening, and it’s a Monday night at the beginning of summer and I thought this could be a fun thing to do for the kids and when we got here, I think we were all blown away by the amount of people and energy here.”

>The stadium bleachers, which are about the size of a standard high school football stadium, were packed.

>Turkish flags were abundant as was the team's color red.

>When the practice finally started, fans erupted with cheers for their team. Many clamoring for Güler.

>Once the practice was underway, fans started chanting and it never stopped.

>Chants like “Türkiyem Benim,”  which translates to “My Turkey,” could be heard throughout the 1 hour and 15-minute practice.

>This is the kind of energy Turkey hopes to take into their World Cup games, and the kind of energy Uludag hopes to see translate onto the pitch if Turkey is to make a deep run.

>“We’re a dark horse, a true dark horse,” Uludag said. “I can see us making a run for the semifinals, you remember Morocco last world Cup?

>"But really I think if we make the round of 16 this tournament can be considered a success. I’m just so excited to see this team represent us. They are our kids, our boys, that’s what ‘Bizim Chochuklar’ means.”

>Players and coaches were not made available for interviews at Monday's practice. The team will be holding additional practices in Mesa this week before heading to Canada for its first match, but those are not open to the public.

>This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Turkey team draws soccer fans in Mesa ahead of World Cup