Kosovo hosts Türkiyeat the Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina on 31 March. This will be the final match of Path C in the 2026 World Cup playoffs, a single-leg match with the winner qualifying for the tournament.
Head-to-head records favour Türkiye, and the bookmakers agree. However, Kosovo have had good results recently and are capable of competing.
Facts
- Kosovo played 10 matches in 2025: They won 7, drew 2, and lost only 1, for a 70% winning percentage. They drew with Switzerland and beat Sweden, teams considered superior.
- In the World Cup qualifiers, Kosovo only lost one match. It was against Switzerland away, and this determined the 3-point difference with that same team, which secured direct qualification.
- In the qualifiers, they averaged 1 goal per game and conceded 0.83.
- In 2025, Türkiye played 10 matches: winning 7, drawing 1, and losing 2. They lost to Mexico in a friendly and to Spain in a World Cup qualifier. The draw was also against Spain.
- The only matches in which Türkiye dropped points in the World Cup qualifiers were against Spain. Excluding that match, Türkiye scored 15 goals and conceded 4 in 4 matches.
- Türkiye scored 17 goals and conceded 12, averaging 2.83 goals scored per game and 2 goals conceded.
Betting Tip: Kosovo - Türkiye
- Betting tip: Türkiye to win + Under 3.5 goals
- Odds: 2.25 (at the time of writing)
Kosovo and Türkiye have faced each other three times in history, with Türkiye winning all three matches. While Türkiye have scored 12 goals in those three encounters and conceded only two, the last match between the two was in 2017. Much has changed in the nine years since then, so much so that Kosovo managed to qualify for the World Cup playoffs.
Following the establishment of the UEFA Nations League, Kosovo began to face more competitive matches, which greatly benefited the Balkan nation. They started in League D and, in four seasons, managed to climb to League B, where they will play in the next edition.
Türkiye have a richer history in the sport. They finished third in the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup and will compete in League A of the next Nations League. Their record, and the fact that they only lost to Spain in official competitions throughout 2025, leads to a logical conclusion that Türkiye will win.
But Kosovo have a very organised defence. In the qualifiers, they only conceded 5 goals in 6 matches, but they also scored relatively few: 6 times. Furthermore, in 5 of their last 6 matches, Kosovo's games ended with fewer than 2.5 goals. The only match that broke this trend was the semi-final against Slovakia on 26 March.
Kosovo - Türkiye Alternative Betting Markets
Analysing the form of both teams, there are several other markets that could be interesting to bet on in this match.
Under 2.5 goals
Although we recommended under 3.5 goals for the accumulator bet as a more conservative approach, we believe there will be fewer than 2.5 goals in the 90 minutes. Both teams are known for solid defence and low-scoring games. Bookies agree, giving this option a modest 1.84 price.
Vedat Muriqi to Score Anytime
If anyone holds the key to scoring goals in Kosovo, it's Muriqi. The Mallorca striker averages 0.48 goals per game for his national team, by far the highest goal-scoring average on the squad. He’s a great price at 5.30 odds.
Arda Güler Assists or Scores
On the Türkiye side, the team has more quality players, but few are at Arda Güler's level. Against Romania, he showed that even with little space, he can unravel a complex situation in a single play. Bookies give him 1.83 odds of scoring a goal or an assist in this match.
