Turkiye were arguably the most disappointing team at the 2026 World Cup. Entering soccer’s biggest tournament with sky-high expectations, the Crescent Stars’ FIFA ranking coming into the World Cup reflected just that. However, their drop-off in the rankings ahead of their game against the USA in Los Angeles also paints a clear picture of just how rough the summer has been for Turkiye.
Turkiye currently sit at No. 32 in the FIFA World Rankings. Turkiye entered the tournament at No. 23, falling nine places. Not many teams have dropped that many spots during the 2026 World Cup. Only Tunisia, who dropped 12 places from No. 45 to No. 57, suffered a bigger and tougher fall from grace than Turkiye did.
Still, considering the Turks’ aspirations and the fact they were eliminated before their group-stage finale against hosts the United States, it’s clear no other team has had it worse than Turkiye in this tournament.
Unofficial FIFA ranking updates
While Turkiye’s place at No. 32 is deflating, they can find some comfort in the fact that it’s not an official ranking. FIFA published its official rankings before the start of the 2026 World Cup—in which they ranked No. 23 in the world—and will update them when the tournament comes to an end on July 19.
Arda Guler of Turkiye.
However, Turkiye’s current place at No. 32 is based on their performance in the World Cup so far. A win over the USMNT could change things for Turkiye, though the fact they were eliminated in the group stage will likely outweigh any potential result.
Turkiye will likely finish closer to their current 32nd-place ranking than the 23rd-place mark they held before their disappointing losses to Australia and Paraguay.
Turkiye’s best and worst FIFA Ranking in team history
Turkiye have seen much better days. FIFA rated them as the fifth best national team in the world in 2004, and Turkiye’s best final rank in history was their 8th place finish in 2003.
As for their worst, the Crescent Stars have also been through much tougher times. Their worst rank ever was 67th in 1993. However, their direst year-end ranking was slightly better, as they finished 57th in 1998.
