Turkey has ended Kosovo’s dream of participating in the World Cup for the first time and is celebrating its first World Cup ticket since 2002 after a narrow playoff victory.
Kerem Aktürkoglu (53rd) scored the redeeming 1-0 (0-0) winning goal in Kosovo and a happy ending to Turkey’s World Cup qualification in the playoff final in the Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina on Tuesday (March 31, 2026). Turkey, which beat Romania 1-0 in the semi-finals, will now face co-hosts USA, Paraguay and Australia in Group D at the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
For Kosovo, ten years after being accepted by FIFA and UEFA, their dream journey ended painfully with a narrow defeat. For the first 25 minutes, the fans of Kosovo and national coach Franco Foda had nothing to cheer about other than the team’s tackles. Turkey dominated the action with ball control and, above all, through Real Madrid gem Arda Güler. Kenan Yildiz (10th) had a double chance to take the lead early on, but was blocked twice.
Kenan Yildiz (l.) almost gave Turkey the early lead in the early stages.
Sensational parade by Ugurcan Cakir
But otherwise coach Vincenzo Montella’s team often played too awkwardly in front of a highly emotional backdrop to embarrass the Kosovo defense. With an advance from Fisnik Asslani (24th) from the left, the hosts also entered the opponent’s penalty area. The cross pass from the professional from 1899 Hoffenheim was a sure prey to goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir.
On the other hand, Orkun Kökcü (27th) aimed from the left just past the right angle of the Kosovo goal. However, the hosts had the best chance of the first half, but Cakir made a great save from Asllani’s flare from 22 meters and hit the crossbar (29′).
Goalscorer Aktürkoglu was just not offside
In the second half it remained intense and initially without any major focal points in front of the goals – until Aktürkoglu came along. The Fenerbahce striker directed a quick forward from Yildiz at the right post with the tips of his studs into the goal to make it 1-0. Turkey briefly had to wonder whether the goalscorer had been offside, but Yildiz’s opponent Lumbardh Dellova was the last Kosovar to be even deeper.
The game got wilder now. The Kosovars tried to revive their World Cup dream and pushed themselves to the limit in the duels. But Turkey’s defense held and the guests had opportunities to decide the game early on, like a counterattack by Yildiz (63′), which was denied by goalkeeper Aro Muric.
But things got really close twice for the Turks: Florent Muslija (81′) aimed a fine 20-meter shot just past the left and Asllani (87′) found his master again in Cakir. After six minutes of stoppage time and 24 years of waiting, Turkey was able to celebrate and now dream a new dream: of a World Cup coup like the one in 2002, when they came third.
