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Türkiye’s national football team moved a step closer to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after beating Romania 1-0 at home and booking a place in the European playoff final, where they will face Kosovo.
In a tightly contested semifinal, Türkiye managed to hold on to a 1-0 victory against Romania, securing progression to the final stage of the European qualifiers. With this result, the team advanced to the last hurdle in the playoff round, which determines the final European spots for the World Cup.
At the same time, Kosovo came through a high-scoring away match, defeating Slovakia 4-3 to set up a final meeting with Türkiye. The outcome means the two sides will now compete directly for a place at the global tournament.
Alongside Türkiye and Kosovo, six other European teams also advanced from the semifinals. Italy, Sweden, Poland, Denmark, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Czechia all secured their places in the playoff finals after winning their respective matches, some through penalties following draws.
These results completed the semifinal stage, narrowing the field to eight teams still in contention for qualification.
The playoff finals will take place on March 31, with four decisive matchups set to determine which nations qualify. The pairings are:
The playoff stage serves as the final gateway for European teams aiming to join the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The tournament is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19.
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