‘An incredible feeling’: Turkiye beat Kosovo to end 24-year World Cup wait
Turkiye secure a return to football’s biggest tournament for the first time since 2002, when they finished third.
When Turkiye finished third at the 2002 World Cup, few Turkish fans thought it would be almost a quarter of a century before their side’s next appearance at football’s showcase event. So Turkiye’s qualification for World Cup 2026 on Tuesday was greeted with joy and a fair amount of relief, with a tense 1-0 playoff win at Kosovo prompting wild celebrations among the players and the 700-strong travelling support. Back in Turkiye, people took to the streets in celebration, with many hanging out of honking cars and waving flags.
Turkiye rode their luck at times during the game at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina, but emerged victorious thanks to a 53rd-minute goal from Kerem Akturkoglu, who poked the ball home from close range after Kenan Yildiz’s cross was turned into his path by Orkun Kokcu. “Thank God. It has been 24 years.
Some of us were not even born the last time we qualified, and some were too young to remember. We always dreamed of moments like this,” Akturkoglu told the Turkish media. “We talked about 2002 and the success there; we always dreamed of it.
Most of us don’t even remember 2002. Now we will give the next generation something to dream about at the 2026 World Cup. We want to make our country proud,” he added.