Soccer-Kosovo players set to share 1.5m-euro government bonus if they reach World Cup

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group B - Slovenia v Kosovo - Stadion Stozice, Ljubljana, Slovenia - November 15, 2025 Kosovo team members celebrate after the match REUTERS/Borut Zivulovic

PRISTINA (Reuters) -Kosovo's government announced on Thursday that it will offer 1.5 million euros ($1.74 million) to the national football team if they qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Kosovo, chasing their first World Cup appearance, finished second in their qualifying groupwith 11 points to secure a berth in March's European playoffs.

They will now face Slovakia, with the winner then playing either Turkeyor Romania in a playoff final with a World Cup spot up for grabs.

Caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti said his government would offer 500,000 euros ($579,700) bonus to the team if they beat Slovakia.

"Second, in the event of qualificationfor the World Cup, we commit to an additional one million euros reward," Kurti said during a televised cabinet meeting.

"Let's go Kosovo, always with you," he added.

Kosovo became aUEFA and FIFA member in 2016afterdeclaringindependencefrom Serbia in 2008.

($1 = 0.8625 euros)

(Reporting by Fatos BytyciEditing by Toby Davis)