“We have to do everything possible to be at the World Championship”

The match against Turkey, from Istanbul, will take place on March 26. In case of a qualification in the final of the pool, Romania will also play away, either in Slovakia or in Kosovo.

National team players, confident reactions before the tie with Turkey

Romania has found out its opponent in the qualifying round for the 2026 World Championship. Several important players in the tricolor team reacted for the FRF immediately after the draw. Turkey will get in the way of Mircea Lucescu's students in March next year.

I think any team that was in the first urn was strong and considered with the first chance to qualify. We only met Turkey in a friendly match played in Cluj-Napoca, in 2017, when we won 2-0, but since then generations have changed, both for us and for them. I think it will be a very contested match, in an incredible atmosphere. I want us to be well, healthy and inspired at the time of the match, to be able to move on. I don't want to talk about a possible final because I'm only thinking about Turkey at the moment!

– Nicolae Stanciu

A very difficult match, we meet a team with young and valuable players, but I have great faith in our group and may God grant that we are in full form and that everyone is healthy so that we can fulfill the dream of every Romanian. Together towards the World Cup! We need public support, now or never to shape our own destiny! Come on, Romania!

– Marius Marin

I watched the draw live. I think we have the hardest route possible, but that makes us even more ambitious! We know what we have to do and we have to approach this play-off with one thought, QUALIFICATION! We must be at the World Championship next year!

– Razvan Marin

The most important thing is for us to be well, healthy, to play in the club teams. Then I'm sure we'll see it through. This is our way and we have to do everything possible to be at the World Championship.

– Dennis Mann

I think it was inevitable that we would meet strong opponents in the play-offs. I think that in order to be at the World Cup we have to overcome such opponents. It won't be easy, but it's never been easy for us. We have proved that we can, now we have to reconfirm to realize the dream of a country. I am optimistic and I believe that we will succeed.

– Ionut Radu

We are facing a difficult opponent who has players in the best teams in Europe at the moment. The biggest pressure will come from the fanatical public there. I think it will be a match decided down to the smallest details, and we have to be mentally prepared, to face the pressure of the public, the opposing field. I think that Mr. Lucescu has the necessary experience, because he coached there, to make us understand the opponent and give the best for Romania and for our dream of going to the World Cup. We are a united group, we go there with confidence in our own strength, in the tactics that the selector will choose, and we must make the Romanians proud.

– Andrei Burca

The match in Turkey will be played on March 26, 2026 away. If it passes the first opponent, the national team will play the final on Tuesday 31st on the field of the winner between Slovakia and Kosovo. The final will also be away.

Pool Finals:

• Slovakia/Kosovo – Turkey/Romania

• Denmark/North Macedonia – Czech Republic/Ireland

• Ukraine/Sweden – Poland/Albania

• Italy/Northern Ireland v Wales/Bosnia