Turkey defeated Kosovo 1-0 in a World Cup playoff on Tuesday, clinching a berth in Group D alongside the U.S. men’s national team.
Kerem Aktürkoğlu gave Turkey the lead early in the second half, tapping home on the doorstep after a scuffed shot from Orkun Kökçü.
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That was all the visitors needed as they advanced to the World Cup for the first time since 2002.
The USMNT learned at the World Cup draw in December that it would face Paraguay and Australia in the group phase, but has been waiting to find out the identity of its third opponent.
That team will be Turkey, which defeated Romania 1-0 in a semifinal on Thursday, March 26 before victory over Kosovo on Tuesday at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina, Kosovo.
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Turkey is ranked 23rd in FIFA’s world rankings, making it the second highest-ranked team in Group D behind the U.S. (15th).
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MetLife Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey (hosting World Cup final)
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What stadiums are hosting the 2026 World Cup in North America? See all 16
MetLife Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey (hosting World Cup final)
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What stadiums are hosting the 2026 World Cup in North America? See all 16
AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas
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Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Atlanta
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What stadiums are hosting the 2026 World Cup in North America? See all 16
Arrowhead Stadium – Kansas City
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Estadio BBVA – Monterrey, Mexico
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Estadio Akron –Guadalajara, Mexico
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What stadiums are hosting the 2026 World Cup in North America? See all 16
SoFi Stadium – Inglewood, California
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BC Place – Vancouver, Canada
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What stadiums are hosting the 2026 World Cup in North America? See all 16
Hard Rock Stadium – Miami Gardens, Florida
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What stadiums are hosting the 2026 World Cup in North America? See all 16
Levi’s Stadium – Santa Clara, California
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Lincoln Financial Field – Philadelphia
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Gillette Stadium – Foxborough, Massachusetts
The USMNT and Turkey have faced off five times in their history, with each team winning two games and the other match ending in a draw.
Most recently, Turkey defeated the USMNT 2-1 in a June 2025 friendly.
Turkey’s win means the USMNT will enter the World Cup having faced all three of its group stage opponents within the last year. The U.S. defeated Australia in October and Paraguay in November.
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Turkey World Cup group stage schedule
June 13 vs. Australia, BC Place – Vancouver, BC.
June 19 vs. Paraguay, Levi’s Stadium – Santa Clara, CA
June 25 vs. USMNT, SoFi Stadium – Los Angeles, CA
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Turkey to face USMNT at World Cup after Kosovo win