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

Kosovo’s government announced on Thursday that it will award €1.5 million ($1.74 million) to the national football team if it secures a spot in the 2026 World Cup.

Chasing their first-ever World Cup appearance, Kosovo finished second in their qualifying group with 11 points, earning a place in the European playoffs scheduled for March.

Kosovo will face Slovakia in the semifinal round of the playoffs. The winner will advance to a playoff final against either Turkey or Romania, with a World Cup berth at stake.

Caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti said the government will grant the team a €500,000 ($579,700) bonus if they defeat Slovakia.

“Second, in the event of qualification for 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 a member of UEFA and FIFA in 2016, eight years after declaring independence from Serbia in 2008. -Fatos Bytyci/Reuters