Reigning European champions Spain will take on Turkey in their second 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Sunday night.
Spain and Turkey are joined by Georgia and Bulgaria in Group E.
Luis de la Fuente’s Spain are 5/1 with the UK betting sites to win their second FIFA World Cup next year.
Spain and Turkey Fight for Group E Dominance
Turkey began their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying journey with a clash against Georgia on Thursday night. Mert Muldur fired the visitors into the lead at the Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena in Georgia. Just before half time, Kerem Akturkoglu doubled their cushion, making it 2-0. Akturkoglu gave the Turks complete control of the game with another strike in the 52nd minute.
The game looked done and dusted until Zuriko Davitashvili pulled one back for Georgia in the 63rd minute. Then, deep into stoppage time, home hero Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made it 3-2 in Tbilisi. Georgia made Turkey sweat, but they simply ran out of time to equalise.
Luis De La Fuente.
Best National Team Coach. pic.twitter.com/W1YE1bzukQ
— All About Spain 🇪🇸 (@AllAboutSpain) September 4, 2025
Jose de la Fuente’s Spain hardly needed to go past second gear to get the win over Bulgaria on Thursday. Mikel Oyarzabal scored the first one in the fifth minute, Marc Cucurella made it 2-0 in the 30th, and Mikel Merino sealed the win in the 38th.
The most sought-after teenager in the world, Lamine Yamal, delivered another eye-catching performance. Yamal, the most valuable player in world football, created two chances, completed seven dribbles, and assisted Cucurella’s goal.
Very few expect Turkey to finish above Spain in Group E. So, they are realistically aiming for second place and to qualify for the play-offs. La Roja, meanwhile, will have to play to win, knowing that anything less than maximum points would draw criticism.
Turkey vs Spain Match Details
⚽Teams: Turkey vs Spain
🗓️Date: Sunday, September 7, 2025
🏆 Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier Group E – Round 2
🟥Ref: Michael Oliver
⌚KO: 7:45 PM BST
📺TV: Amazon Prime Video
🏟️Stadium: Torku Arena
Turkey vs Spain Stats and H2H – World Cup Qualifier
- Have met 12 times – Turkey 2 wins, Spain 6 wins, and 2 draws
- Both won their Group E openers but Spain ahead due to goal difference (3 to 1)
- Last meeting came in Euro 2016 – Spain won 3-0 with goals from Alvaro Morata (20) and Nolito
- Turkey beat Spain 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier in March 1954
- Turkey’s last win over Spain came in 1967
- Spain’s leading goalscorer in the current squad: Alvaro Morata (37 goals)
- Turkey’s leading goalscorer in the current squad: Hakan Calhanoglu (21 goals)
- Turkey have not qualified for the World Cup since 2002 – Finished third
- Spain’s last World Cup appearance came in 2022 – Lost to Morocco in Round of 16
| Category | Total | Turkey (W) | Spain (W) | Draws |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Matches | 12 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| FIFA World Cup | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Friendlies | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| UEFA EURO | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Others | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Turkey vs Spain Betting Odds – Main Markets
Spain breezed past Bulgaria in their Group E opener on Thursday. Which Turkey are likely to pose a tougher challenge, they are the oddsmakers’ favourites to win on Sunday. They are 1/2 with betting sites to secure the victory, while Turkey are priced at 5/1.
Alvaro Morata, Ferran Torres, and Lamine Yamal, meanwhile, are the favourites to score.
Match Odds
- Turkey – 5/1
- Draw – 8/1
- Spain – 1/2
Anytime Goalscorer
- Alvaro Morata – 7/5
- Ferran Torres – 7/4
- Lamine Yamal – 9/5
Both Teams To Score
- Yes – 3/4
- No – 1/1
Turkey vs Spain Prediction and Best Bet
Luis de la Fuente has injected confidence and energy into this Spanish side. They press hard and maintain their intensity until the final whistle. Spain are susceptible to defensive errors, but they seem capable of outscoring any team in world football.
Our prediction: Turkey 1-3 Spain
At the age of 18, Lamine Yamal has become the driving force behind La Roja. Capable of creating as well as scoring, the Barcelona man has either scored or assisted in every match he has played this season. For Spain, he has scored three goals and provided two assists in the last four matches.
Lamine Yamal has more international goal contributions than Vini Jr. 🇪🇸🔥
He's played 20 games less 🤯👏 pic.twitter.com/ZO4dfRpKtk
— LiveScore (@livescore) September 4, 2025
Against Turkey, we are backing Yamal to score again.
Best Bet: Lamine Yamal to Score Anytime @ 9/5
