Türkiye secured their first World Cup appearance since 2002 by defeating Kosovo 1-0 in a playoff final, earning a spot in Group D alongside co-hosts the United States.
Türkiye qualified for the 2026 World Cup following a narrow 1-0 victory over Kosovo in Tuesday’s European playoff final.
Kerem Aktürkoğlu scored the decisive goal early in the second half in Prishtina, ending a 24-year drought for the Turkish national team.
The result denied Kosovo a historic first appearance at a major tournament while sparking celebrations for the visitors, who previously finished third in 2002.
The victory places Türkiye in Group D alongside the United States, Australia, and Paraguay.
Their campaign begins in Vancouver against Australia before they move to California to face Paraguay and finally the U.S. at SoFi Stadium.
Türkiye and the U.S. have a balanced head-to-head record, though Türkiye claimed a win in their most recent friendly encounter held in Connecticut last June.