And that’s all for now! Thank you so much for watching this 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying match here on VAVEL, with all the action and excitement in real time! Good evening, and I’ll see you here at VAVEL for the next matches!
We’ll have four more minutes of added time in the match. And Kosov made two substitutions at the end, replacing Gallapeni and Muslija with Zhegrova and Sadriu. The game remains at a slower pace at the end, even with both teams trying to attack!
Sesko received the pass in front, made by Karnicinc and hit it hard, but on top of the defense, for the ball to go out for a corner, hit in the area for Sesko to get the deflection, sending the ball over the goal, out once again!
Avdullahu was shown a yellow card for a heavy foul in midfield on Vipotnik. Shortly before, Kosovo made two substitutions, replacing Muriqi and Rrahmani with Rashica and Asllani. Shortly before, Horvat received the ball and took a powerful shot, but the defense blocked it.
Vipotnik received Janza’s cross and headed powerfully, but Muric parried it once again, saving Kosovo from a goal! Soon after, Elsnik received the pass up front and struck a deflection shot, sending the ball out for a corner, which was then cleared into the box by the defense.
Slovenia is trying to get back into the game and has made two changes, replacing Seslar and Stojanovic with Erik Janza and Tomi Horvat. With these changes, Slovenia is looking to return to the pressure as it has done previously in the match.
Krasniqi received Rrahmani’s pass inside the box and fired a powerful shot, but the defense blocked it. Soon after, Muslija received the pass inside the box and fired a powerful shot, but the defense blocked it again. Kosovo continues to press!
Elsnik received the pass up front and fired a powerful shot from distance, but was blocked by the defense once again. Soon after, Slovenia made a change, replacing Gradisar with Vipotnik. Slovenia continued pressing, trying to press.
Slovenia tried to create a threat in attack, but were unable to produce a clear shot. A corner kick, which the defense cleared into the box, was again cleared. The game’s tempo dropped again, in a slow moment.
At halftime, Kosovo made a substitution, replacing the injured Rexhbecaj with Berisha. And, early on, two yellow cards were issued for serious fouls: one for Elsnik and one for Aliti, the first yellows of the match.
The players return to the field and the ball is rolling for the second half of the match between Kosovo and Slovenia, with all the action and excitement in real time in this 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match!
Goalless, in a game that alternated between the teams’ dominance in attack, Kosovo and Slovenia go into halftime tied in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match, earning one point each in this fight for a spot in the competition!
Rrahmani received the pass up front and found Florent Muslija, who controlled the ball and shot hard, but sent the ball wide, in yet another missed chance in the game for Kosovo, who managed to escape on the counterattack!
Slovenia continues to have possession, exchanging passes in the attacking half, but is unable to break through Kosovo’s defense at the end of the first half, where the home team holds on to the draw, after managing to put on pressure at the beginning.
Gnezda Cern found the pass up front for Sesko, who burst into the box and struck hard, but sent the ball into the middle of the goal, into the hands of Muric, who didn’t rebound and kept the ball. Slovenia managed to press and pose a threat late in the first half.
Max Elsnik, with a pass inside the box, managed a powerful shot, deflected by the defense, to send the ball out for a corner, which was passed into the box for Sesko to head hard, but right at the defense, who cleared the ball away soon after.
Kosovo continues to hold possession, exchanging passes and trying to create danger in attack, at a time when little is happening on the field. Slovenia also tries to break into attack, but without success in the final minutes.
Svit Seslar received a yellow card for a heavy foul on Musilja. The free kick was given to Musilja, who crossed to Muriqi, who headed the ball powerfully, sending it wide from the left. Kosovo managed to create a threat in the attacking half.
On the right, Kosovo received a corner kick, which the defense cleared into the box. Kosovo tried to maintain possession, trying to create a threat on the attack. Slovenia sought to counterattack, but the game was slower, with few chances.
And Slovenia responded, with Svit Sestar receiving the pass up front, crossing powerfully for Sesko to head powerfully, sending the ball wide to the right of the goal, out once again! Slovenia tries to level the match!
Muriqi received Muslija’s cross and finished from inside the box, sending the ball wide to the left of the goal! Kosovo’s first chance of the game comes from Kosovo, who starts the match pressing high!
The players take the field and the ball is rolling for the first half of the Kosovo vs. Slovenia match, with all the action and excitement live here on VAVEL, in this match that continues the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers!
We have an Italian referee in today’s match! Marco Guida will officiate today’s match, with Giorgio Peretti and Giuseppe Perrotti as assistant referees. The VAR will be led by Marco Di Bello, with Valerio Marini as assistant referee.
Tomorrow the round continues (and ends!). At 9:00 AM, we’ll have Latvia vs. Andorra as a standalone match. At 12:00 PM, we’ll have Hungary vs. Armenia and Norway vs. Israel. And finally, at 2:45 PM, we’ll have Bulgaria vs. Türkiye, Estonia vs. Italy, Portugal vs. Ireland, Serbia vs. Albania, and Spain vs. Georgia.
Earlier today, Kazakhstan beat Liechtenstein 4-0. At the same time as this clash later we will have: Belgium vs. North Macedonia, Iceland vs. Ukraine, France vs. Azerbaijan, Germany vs. Luxembourg, Sweden vs. Switzerland and Northern Ireland vs. Slovakia.
Just yesterday, continuing with these 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, Scotland beat Greece 3-1, the Faroe Islands beat Montenegro 4-0, Cyprus drew 2-2 with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Denmark thrashed Belarus 6-0.
Yesterday, the seventh round of FIFA World Cup qualifying began. Finland beat Lithuania 2-1, the Netherlands beat Malta 4-0, the Czech Republic drew 0-0 with Croatia, and Austria beat San Marino 10 (!)-0.
Kosovo returns to the field on Monday (13), at 2:45 pm, when they visit Sweden. Slovenia plays on the same day and at the same time, when they host Switzerland. Both games take place in the fourth round of the World Cup Qualifiers.
For the next game, Matjaz Kek will have the following names to use during the match against Kosovo: Zan Luk Levan, Igor Vekic, Jure Balkovec, David Zec, Erik Janza, Sandi Lovric, Dejan Petrovic, Jon Gorenc Stankovic, Danijel Sturm, Tomi Horvat and Blaz Kramer and Zan Vipotnik.
For the next game, Franco will have the following names to use during the match against Slovenia: Visar Bekaj, Amir Saipi, Kreshnik Hajrizi, Leard Sadriu, Edon Zhegrova, Valon Berisha, Ermal Krasniqi, Veldin Hodza, Muharrem Jashari, Milot Rashica, Fisnik Asllani and Meriton Korenica.
With a 4-4-2 formation, Slovenia is lined up for the World Cup Qualifiers match later today and will take to the field to face Kosovo with: Oblak, Brekalo, Bijol, Drkusic and Karnicinik; Seslar, Cerin, Elsnik and Stojanovic; Gradisar and Sesko.
With a 4-3-3 formation, Kosovo is lined up for the World Cup Qualifiers match later today and will take to the field to face Slovenia with: Muric, Krasniqi, Hajdari, Aliti and Gallapeni; Vojvoda, Avdullahu and Rexhbecaj; Muslija, Muriqi and Rrahmani.
We now open the broadcast of the match between Kosovo and Slovenia, with all the action and emotions in real time in this third round of the World Cup Qualifiers here on VAVEL, in this confrontation following the qualification for the competition!
Do not miss a detail of the match with the live updates and commentaries of VAVEL. Follow along with us all the details, commentaries, analysis and lineups for this Kosovo vs Slovenia match here at VAVEL.
“We’ve been aware of Kosovo’s strength since Franco Foda took over. They have a very compact squad, with excellent players playing for good clubs. Some names stand out. We’ve prepared a plan, but we’re focused on our own issues to correct what went wrong in Switzerland. We want to win every game. That should be an extra motivation for us. It’s better to play in a packed stadium with a lively atmosphere than in a place where you can hear every voice. I don’t know what could be more motivating and energizing for an athlete than fans. Of course, it will be noisy, and there are probably still some tickets available. Some of our fans will also be there, as there is a contingent of Slovenian soldiers on site, and that must be respected. We have to show character and draw extra energy from this ‘counter-atmosphere.’ You also need patience and concentration in every game. It’s clear that we’re in a group where the result can change quickly.” “It’s either one way or the other. The tactical plan must remain in the locker room; the most important thing will be body language, awareness of the importance of the match, self-confidence, determination, and courage,” said Kek, who understandably did not reveal the Slovenian game plan to the public, adding: “These are matches where, in the end, only the result matters.”
Today’s match takes place at Fadil Vokri Stadium, also known as Pristina City Stadium. The stadium is located in the city of Pristina, Kosovo. With a capacity of over 13,000, the stadium opened in 1953 and underwent renovations in 2018 and 2024. Home to FC Pristian, the stadium also hosts occasional matches for the Kosovo national team, as it will today.
On the other hand, Slovenia will be without Zajc, who has retired from the national team, and will go with the following possible lineup: Oblak, Janzak Bijol, Drkusic, and Karnicinc; Lovric, Elsnik, Gnezda Cerin, and Stojanovic; Vipotnik and Sesko.
For today’s match, Kosovo will be without Haxha, the team’s only injured absence, and will instead field: Muric, Gallapeni, Aliti, Dellova, Krasniqi, and Vojvoda; Muslija, Rexhbecaj, and Avdullahu; Rrahmani and Muriqi.
In Group B, Switzerland currently leads with six points from two games, three points ahead of Kosovo. Right behind them are Sweden and Slovenia, both with one point, rounding out the Group B standings.
Slovenia, meanwhile, has one win, one draw, and one loss in its recent matches. On June 10th, they won 2-1 in a friendly match at home against Bosnia and Herzegovina, with goals from Verbic and Vombergar, while Muharemovic pulled one back. On September 5th, they drew 2-2 at home against Sweden, with goals from Lovirc and Vipotnik, while Elanga and Ayari equalized. And on September 8th, away from home, they lost 3-0 to Switzerland, with goals from Elvedi, Embolo, and Ndoye.
Kosovo comes into today’s match with two wins and one loss in their last matches. On June 9th, they won 4-2 in a friendly at home against Comoros, with goals from Rrahmani (3) and Asllani, while Bakari and Said scored. On September 5th, in the qualifiers, they lost 4-0 away to Switzerland, with goals from Akanji, Embolo (2), and Widmer. And on September 8th, they won 2-0 at home against Sweden, with goals from Rexhbecak and Muriqi.