PRISTINA, Kosovo – Kosovo secured a historic 2-0 victory over Sweden in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday, earning their first-ever home win in qualifying football while severely damaging their opponents’ chances of reaching the 2026 tournament.
Elvis Rexhbeçaj broke the deadlock in the 28th minute, reacting quickest to convert his own rebound after his initial effort was saved by Robin Olsen. The hosts doubled their advantage just before halftime through Vedat Muriqi, who finished clinically after being set up by Albion Rrahmani on a devastating counter-attack.
The victory marked Kosovo’s first win against Sweden after losing all three previous meetings and their first home qualifying victory after eight previous defeats and one draw. Despite being ranked 66 places below their opponents, Kosovo created the better chances throughout, with their organized defense limiting Sweden to few clear opportunities even after the introduction of Alexander Isak in the second half.
The result leaves Sweden five points behind group leaders Switzerland and facing an uphill battle to qualify automatically for the World Cup. For Kosovo, the victory provides their first points of the qualifying campaign and moves them into contention for a playoff spot, representing a significant milestone for the footballing nation that only gained FIFA recognition in 2016.
