Turkiye beat Kosovo 1-0, whereas Sweden beat Poland 3-2 because the winners safe newest FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying spots.
Revealed On 31 Mar 2026
Turkey ended a 24-year wait to qualify for the World Cup by beating Kosovo 1-0 of their playoff ultimate, sealing a return to soccer’s largest stage for the primary time since 2002.
Ahead Kerem Akturkoglu scored the one objective within the 53rd minute to settle a tense contest on Tuesday in Pristina, the place the hosts had been hoping to achieve their first-ever World Cup.
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Turkey, ranked twenty fifth on this planet, had fallen quick in qualifying campaigns over the previous twenty years and arrived beneath strain to ship, with coach Vincenzo Montella overseeing a squad mixing rising abilities and skilled internationals.
For Kosovo, ranked 79th and enjoying in entrance of a sold-out crowd, the defeat introduced an finish to a exceptional run that had taken them to the brink of a historic debut at a serious match, much less than a decade after becoming a member of FIFA and UEFA.
Gyokeres edges Sweden previous Poland
Sweden beat Poland 3-2 to ebook their ticket to the World Cup, as Viktor Gyokeres struck two minutes from time to determine a frantic qualification playoff ultimate.
Anthony Elanga’s opener for Sweden was cancelled out by Nicola Zalewski’s equaliser however Gustaf Lagerbielke’s Forty fourth-minute strike restored the hosts’ benefit and ensured they entered the break forward.
Regardless of Karol Swiderski drawing the guests stage once more shortly after the interval, Gyokeres capitalised on a late goalmouth scramble to side-foot dwelling the winner.
The end result earned Sweden spot in Group F for the 2026 World Cup alongside the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia, marking their first look on the match since 2018.
