Turkey qualifies for FIFA World Cup 2026 after beating Kosovo 1-0 in the playoff final. The result ends a long wait of 24 years for Turkey to return to football’s biggest tournament.
The winning goal came in the 53rd minute. Kerem Akturkoglu scored from close range after a strong move started by Kenan Yildiz. Orkun Kokcu’s shot created the chance that led to the goal.
Turkey qualifies for FIFA World Cup 2026 with a mix of young and experienced players. Head coach Vincenzo Montella guided the team through a difficult qualifying campaign.
After the match, Akturkoglu said the moment was emotional for the team. He added that many players had only heard about Turkey’s 2002 success and wanted to create their own history.
Montella also shared his pride in the team’s achievement. He said coaching at the World Cup is a dream and praised the players for reaching their goal.
Fans across Turkey celebrated the victory late into the night. Streets were filled with people waving flags and cheering the team’s success.
Kosovo, ranked 79th in the world, showed strong effort in the final minutes. However, they failed to score against goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir.
Turkey qualifies for FIFA World Cup 2026 and will now play in Group D. They are set to face Australia, Paraguay, and the United States in the tournament.
