Türkiye beat Kosovo to clinch 2026 World Cup spot

The Turkish national team has reached the 2026 World Cup finals, scheduled to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, for the third time in its history.

Türkiye secured their place in the finals after defeating Kosovo in the play-offs 0-1.

Kerem Akturkoglu scored the goal for the Turkish team in the 53rd minute.

In a statement, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated the team, known as "Our children," for their qualification.

He said he expects the national team to represent Türkiye strongly on football's biggest stage after 24 years, expressing confidence they will carry the national colours "from victory to victory" and make the country proud.

Erdogan also wished the team success in their upcoming group matches against Australia, Paraguay and the United States.

Türkiye have qualified for the World Cup twice in their history.

Türkiye’s first appearance came in 1954, when they exited in the group stage without leaving a significant mark.

Türkiye’s second qualification saw a completely different outcome, as Türkiye achieved a historic run at the 2002 World Cup, co-hosted by South Korea and Japan, finishing third and securing their place among the tournament's standout teams.