Article by Mihai Șovei – Published Friday, November 21, 2025 10:20 p.m. / Updated Friday, November 21, 2025 10:29 p.m.
Romania will face Turkey in the qualifying round for the 2026 World Championship. Pavel Nedved (53 years old), winner of the Ballon d'Or in 2003, believes that the Turkish national team will qualify for the final tournament.
Christian Karembeu (54 years old), winner of the World Championship in 1998, is of the same opinion.
Pavel Nedved believes that Turkey will qualify for the World Cup: “They are a very good team”
At Thursday's draw, Romania found out its opponents on the way to the 2026 World Championship. The national team will go to Turkey on March 26, and in the event of a victory, they will face the winner of the duel between Slovakia and Kosovo.
Present at the draw in Zurich, Pavel Nedved and Christian Karembeu talked about seeing the Turkish national team at the North American tournament, stating that it is a very good national team.
Kenan Yildiz is a fantastic player, simply fantastic. He is still very young and will definitely be even better in the future. It has a lot of quality. I know the Turkish national very well. It's a great team and I think we'll see it at the World Cup in the United States.
– Pavel Nedved, according to the publication sporx
“Turkey has very talented players. It can qualify for the World Cup and it must be at the World Cup,” Christian Karembeu also said.
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.
Gianni Infantino and Christian Karembeu at the dam draw / Imago Images
