Minnows Kosovo separate Türkiye from their first World Cup appearance since 2002.
Just one game separates Türkiye from its first World Cup appearance in 24 years, but a dangerous and determined Kosovo team stands in its way in Tuesday’s playoff final. Four spots at this summer’s tournament are up for grabs via UEFA’s playoffs, and the winner of this clash in Pristina will be placed into Group C alongside the U.
S. men’s national team, Paraguay and Australia. Türkiye remarkably hasn’t found itself on soccer’s biggest stage since they stunned the competition in 2002, reaching the semifinals. They’ve since had some joy at the European Championships, enjoying impressive campaigns in 2008 and 2024, and may currently boast the most talented crop of players they’ve ever produced. One of its stars, Arda Güler, proved instrumental in Thursday’s semifinal win over Romania, as he teed up match-winner Ferdi Kadıoğlu with a sumptuous pass. Türkiye’s measured showing wildly contrasted the melodrama of Kosovo’s 4–3 triumph over Slovakia, and Tuesday’s hosts are aiming to qualify for their maiden Franco Foda’s side lost just once in qualifying to reach this stage, but they’ll be underdogs when the Euro 2024 quarterfinalists come to town.Arda Güler’s stunning pass unlocked the Romanian defense on Thursday. | YASIN AKGUL/AFP/Getty Images This is Türkiye’s fifth appearance in the World Cup playoffs, and they haven’t prevailed at this stage since thumping Austria over two legs to reach the tournament co-hosted by Japan and South Korea in 2002. However, there’s a sense that it has to be Türkiye’s time to return to the big stage. Vincenzo Montella’s squad are far too talented not to be in North America this summer, and its performance against Romania was one of impressive maturity. They’re the heavy favorites to advance on Tuesday night, with only complacency the likely inhibitor. Kosovo is spirited, aggressive and well-coached under Foda, who struggled to inspire as coach of Austria but has done an excellent job in his current role.: Among the nations competing in Tuesday’s playoff finals, Kosovo is the lowest-ranked nation in FIFA’s world rankings. The hosts are 78th, while Türkiye has crept up to 24th.: Türkiye was mightily unfortunate to be paired with Spain in qualifying. Montella’s side were thumped 6–0 by the European champions in September 2025, but have since embarked on a five-game unbeaten run, winning four.: Kosovo has not been free-scoring under Foda, which is why the nature of its success against Slovakia was so surprising. Tuesday’s hosts scored six goals from qualifying, a tally they almost doubled in one fell swoop.Despite the chaotic nature of Thursday’s win, Foda is unlikely to tinker with his starting lineup for the visit of Türkiye. A rigid 4-4-2 will be led by Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi in attack, although one of Europe’s most prolific performers in front of goal this season wasn’t among the scorers in their 4–3 semifinal win. Como’s Mërgim Vojvoda provides this Kosovo team with plenty of dynamism out wide, and the 31-year-old will be called upon to offer his fullback support against a dynamic Türkiye frontline.There’s star talent at Montella’s disposal. | FotMob The absence of former Juventus defender Merih Demiral means 32-year-old Samet Akaydın has been thrust into a role of importance this month, partnering Galatasaray’s Abdülkerim Bardakcı at the heart of Türkiye’s defense. The visitors should also have Zeki Çelik available for Tuesday’s game, with the Roma man potentially coming in for Mert Müldür at rightback. Montella has talent in abundance further upfield, with the usage of Kerem Aktürkoğlu as a false nine facilitating a mightily fluid Turkish attack. Real Madrid’s Arda Güler is the creative heartbeat, exemplified by his assist on Thursday, but Juventus starlet Kenan Yıldız is another destructive talent that the Kosovans must be wary of. Hakan Çalhanoğlu has had a stop-start season at club level, but he’s shaken off a minor calf concern to play for the national team this month.: Çakır; Çelik, Akaydın, Bardakcı, Kadıoğlu; Yüksek, Çalhanoğlu; Yılmaz, Güler, Yıldız, Aktürkoğlu.James Cormack is a freelancer soccer writer for Sports Illustrated FC. An expert on Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, he follows Italian and German soccer, taking particular interest in the work of Antonio Conte & Julian Nagelsmann.
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