Turkey have qualified for their first World Cup in 24 years after Kerem Akturkoglu’s goal secured a 1-0 victory over Kosovo in their play-off clash in Pristina.
The win marks Turkey’s return to the global stage for the first time since their third-place finish at the 2002 tournament.
In a tense encounter, the decisive moment came in the 53rd minute when Kenan Yildiz cut the ball back for Orkun Kokcu, whose mis-hit effort fell kindly for Akturkoglu to turn in at the back post.
Kosovo, aiming to reach their first major tournament since gaining FIFA and UEFA membership in 2016, came close in the first half when goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir tipped Fisnik Asllani’s strike onto the crossbar.
Despite managing only one other shot on target, Turkey held firm defensively to secure qualification and end a run of five consecutive failed attempts to reach the World Cup.
Their latest campaign saw them narrowly miss automatic qualification after finishing three points behind group winners Spain.
Turkey booked their place in the play-off final with a 1-0 win over Romania, setting up the decisive clash with Kosovo.
Led by key players including Arda Guler and Hakan Calhanoglu, Turkey entered the match as favourites, ranked significantly higher than their opponents.
The side also carried momentum from a strong showing at the 2024 European Championship, where they reached the quarter-finals before losing to the Netherlands.
For Kosovo, the defeat ends a historic run that saw them come close to a first World Cup appearance less than a decade after playing their first qualifier.
The Balkan nation, which declared independence in 2008, played their first FIFA-recognised match in 2014 and have since made steady progress on the international stage.
They finished just three points short of automatic qualification in their group and reached the play-off final after a 4-3 win over Slovakia, but were unable to find a breakthrough against a disciplined Turkish side.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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