Team Turkey heads to Algeria as the 26-country 19th Mediterranean Games kicks off in the seaside city of Oran Saturday.

The official opening ceremony will be held at the Olympic Stadium in Oran, where more than 3,400 athletes from the neighboring Mediterranean countries will compete in 24 different disciplines.

With 321 athletes, Turkey will have the third-largest contingent at this year's competition.

Italy will send the largest team consisting of 371 athletes, followed by host Algeria with 324. Another regional powerhouse France will send 313 athletes.

Turkey will look to better its medal tally at the last Mediterranean Games in Spain, where it fielded 345 athletes.

At the Tarragona 2018, Turkey won 95 medals, including 31 gold, 25 silver and 39 bronze. It was ranked third overall in the medals table after Italy (155) and host Spain (120).

Turkey's best-ever medal count, however, remains at Mersin 2013 where Turkish athletes won a total of 127 medals, including 47 gold, 43 silver and 37 bronze.

The Mediterranean Games is a multisport event organized by the International Committee of Mediterranean Games (CIJM). It is held every four years among countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea in Africa, Asia and Europe.