A long wait finally ends
Turkiye have qualified for the 2026 World Cup after a 1-0 win over Kosovo in their playoff final, closing the book on a 24-year absence from football’s biggest tournament.
The result sparked celebrations among fans, who had waited since 2002 for Turkiye to make it back to the World Cup stage. It is the country’s first appearance at the competition since that run more than two decades ago, a gap that had started to look increasingly stubborn, as these things tend to do.
The narrow victory was enough to seal the return, with Turkiye joining the field for the expanded 2026 edition after getting through the decisive playoff tie against Kosovo.
