24 years after their miraculous third-place finish in Japan and South Korea, Turkey are on the verge of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup and ending a long wait. One of the team’s key pieces is midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who’s made it clear that qualifying for the World Cup is his only goal.

Turkey has been waiting 24 years for its return to the World Cup, but the end of this eternal drought is in sight. A win against hosts Kosovo at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium on Tuesday would secure Çalhanoğlu, who said that his “only goal is to play in the World Cup as captain,” and Turkey a ticket to the FIFA World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

“One last game to go satisfy the longing we’ve had since 2002,” the Inter Milan midfielder wrote on Instagram.

Back then, when the team led by star striker Hakan Şükür was defeated by eventual world champions Brazil in the semi-finals and then won the third-place clash with co-hosts South Korea, Calhanoglu was still playing for Waldhof Mannheim’s youth team. Now, more than two decades later, he can follow in the footsteps of players like Sükür and goalkeeper Rüstü Reçber.

Turkey under pressure

Expectations are sky-high for the Turkey national football team ahead of their play-off final, especially with a squad packed with exciting young talents like Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız.

Former international Erdal Keser believes this could be a special generation, describing it as the best Turkey has ever produced in an interview with kicker. The ex-Borussia Dortmund forward admitted that the prospect of falling short is difficult to contemplate.

“It would be a huge disappointment if they fail at the final hurdle,” he said, highlighting the immense pressure on the team to deliver.

Keser, however, remains optimistic ahead of the clash with Kosovo national football team, saying he has “a very good feeling” about the match. Still, he cautioned against underestimating their opponents, noting that reaching a 2026 FIFA World Cup would represent a historic achievement for Kosovo. The nation has been a member of FIFA only since 2016 and has yet to feature in either a European Championship or a World Cup.

Momentum is high after Kosovo’s dramatic 4–3 victory over Slovakia national football team in the play-off semi-final. The final will be played in Pristina at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium, which has a capacity of around 13,000. Head coach Franco Foda told kicker that although the venue is relatively small, far more supporters would be expected if possible.

“World Cup is our big goal,” Foda said, stressing that qualification remains the ultimate objective. The government, led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti, has even reportedly offered a bonus of €1 million should Kosovo qualify. However, Foda and his squad insist that the dream of reaching the World Cup is motivation enough as they prepare to “clear the last hurdle.”

The same sense of determination is shared by the Turkey national football team, who remain in contention thanks in part to a decisive assist from Arda Güler in their 1–0 win over Romania national football team. Reports have even suggested that luxury seaside villas have been promised to the players if they secure qualification.