The Turkish Football Federation’s executive board has decided not to continue with Vincenzo Montella as head coach of the senior national team. The federation’s decision, announced on October 9, 2026, did not give a reason for the separation and did not name a successor. Reuters, Fotomaç and talkSPORT independently reported the decision.
The TFF included the coaching change among several institutional decisions taken at an executive board meeting. The federation said its leadership would remain in office until the next scheduled elective general assembly, while appointments were also made to vacant board and secretary-general positions. The section concerning Montella stated only that the federation would not continue with him.
Montella took charge in September 2023
Montella replaced Stefan Kuntz as Türkiye coach in September 2023. Under the Italian, Türkiye qualified for Euro 2024 as group winners and reached the quarter-finals of the tournament. That run stands out as the most significant competitive achievement of his tenure.
At Euro 2024, a young Türkiye squad drew attention with an energetic campaign before being eliminated by the Netherlands in the quarter-finals. Despite that defeat, the tournament became one of the national team’s strongest performances at a major championship in recent years and helped establish confidence in Montella’s project.
Türkiye later qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The team lost 2-0 to Australia and 1-0 to Paraguay in the group stage before beating the United States 3-2. The victory was not enough to secure progress to the knockout rounds. Results also deteriorated at the start of the UEFA Nations League campaign that followed the World Cup.
Four defeats in four Nations League matches
According to the results reported by Reuters and talkSPORT, Türkiye lost each of its first four matches in the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League A campaign. The national team was beaten 1-0 by France, 4-1 by Italy, 3-0 by Belgium and 3-1 by Italy in the return fixture. Türkiye scored twice and conceded 11 goals across those matches.
The most recent game was the 3-1 defeat to Italy in Bologna on October 6. After the match, Montella argued that his team had performed well tactically but that decisive moments had shaped the result. Three days later, the federation announced that it would make a change on the touchline.
The Nations League results increased scrutiny of the team’s defensive balance and attacking output. However, the TFF did not identify a particular match or competition as the formal reason for ending the relationship. Reporting on the decision should therefore distinguish the verified sequence of results from interpretations of the federation’s motive.
No successor has been announced
The TFF statement did not provide a name or timetable for the appointment of a new coach. Several candidates and possible contract details have been discussed in media reports, but none of those claims has been confirmed by the federation and they should not be treated as established facts.
The incoming coach’s first priority will be Türkiye’s remaining Nations League fixtures. With no points from four matches, the team needs improved results to strengthen its position in the group and its prospects of avoiding relegation from the top tier. Squad planning, selection of the technical staff and the preparation schedule will also require quick decisions.
A nearly three-year tenure ends
Montella’s period in charge will be assessed through both the Euro 2024 quarter-final run and qualification for the 2026 World Cup, as well as the group-stage exit at the World Cup and the difficult Nations League start. The federation did not publish a performance assessment or disclose the financial terms of the separation.
The next formal step is an announcement on the new head coach and the national team’s technical structure. Until that statement arrives, reports about candidates, compensation and possible dual-role arrangements remain unconfirmed. The federation’s official decision establishes only that Montella’s tenure has ended. A later appointment notice is expected to clarify the contract term, coaching staff and immediate match schedule, none of which appeared in the initial statement.
