Turkey have qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 2002 after edging Kosovo 1-0 in Pristina to seal their place at the 2026 finals. Kerem Aktürkoğlu scored the only goal of the match early in the second half, ending a 24-year absence from football’s biggest stage and sending Vincenzo Montella’s side back to the tournament for only the third time in their history.
With Kosovo chasing a first-ever major tournament appearance and Turkey looking to bring a long drought to an end, the stakes were huge from the outset. The opening period was tense and fiercely contested, with clear chances at a premium as both sides defended resolutely and struggled to find real fluency in the final third.
Turkey threatened first through Aktürkoğlu, whose early low effort was comfortably gathered, but Kosovo also showed they could hurt the visitors. Their best chance of the first half fell to Fisnik Asllani, whose strike was brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by Uğurcan Çakır, a save that proved crucial in a match ultimately decided by the finest of margins.
The decisive moment arrived in the 53rd minute. Kenan Yıldız drove forward and created the opening. Orkun Kökçü’s effort caused problems inside the area, and Aktürkoğlu was on hand to apply the finishing touch from close range. The goal settled Turkey and shifted the pressure firmly onto the hosts.
Kosovo responded with determination and pushed hard for an equaliser, but Turkey remained composed and disciplined through the closing stages. Çakır was called into action again, while the visitors managed the game effectively enough to protect their lead and silence a full home crowd desperate to witness history.
The result means Turkey join Group D at the 2026 World Cup alongside the United States, Paraguay and Australia. For Kosovo, the defeat ends a remarkable run that had brought them to within one match of a first World Cup appearance since joining FIFA and UEFA in 2016.
After the final whistle, celebrations broke out across Turkey, with players, staff and supporters marking a long-awaited return to the global stage. The challenge now will be to build on this achievement and see whether a new generation can come close to emulating the country’s memorable semi- final run of 2002.
