PRISTINA, March 30 - Once banned from organized sports under Serbian rule, Kosovo’s national soccer team now stands one win away from making history.
The team, representing Europe’s youngest nation, will host Turkey in a final playoff match on Tuesday. A victory would send Kosovo to its first-ever World Cup finals, set to begin in North America in June.
Soccer in Kosovo was once played in secret, with athletes washing off in rivers after games. Now, the national stadium - though small, holding just 12,500 fans - is sold out, with tickets resold online at steep markups.
Kosovo’s journey began in earnest after joining FIFA in 2016. Early defeats gave way to progress through diaspora recruitment, leading to wins over Sweden and Slovenia in this cycle.
Players like goalkeeper Samir Ujkani, who left Kosovo as a child, now return to represent the homeland. “It is our duty,” he said.
The government has added motivation, pledging a €1 million bonus for a win.