Sports Weekend
Romania will play Turkey in the first playoff match for next year’s World Cup in North America.
Florin Orban, 21.11.2025, 13:45
In the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup playoff, Romania’s national football team will take on Turkey, away from home, on March 26, according to Thursday’s draw in Zurich. If they get past Turkey, the Romanian footballers will play the playoff final against the winner of Slovakia vs. Kosovo, on March 31, also away from home.
In preliminary Group E, Turkey finished second, behind Spain, with whom they drew in the final match, away, 2–2. Turkey’s only defeat in this campaign was recorded at home, again in a clash with Spain, score 0–6.
The World Cup, the first with 48 teams, will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada between June 11 and July 19, 2026. Participants will be divided into 12 groups of four teams each, with the top two in each group qualifying for the round of 32, along with the best eight third-place teams.
This weekend the Romanian Super League football championship resumes with Matchday 17, the second round of the regular-season return leg.
On Friday, two fixtures: Csikszereda vs. Unirea Slobozia and FC Argeş vs. Universitatea Craiova.
Saturday’s first match is an old Transylvanian derby, in Arad, between UTA and Universitatea Cluj. This will be followed, in Bucharest, by the match between FCSB and Petrolul Ploieşti.
On Sunday, Oțelul Galați will play at home against Farul Constanţa, then CFR Cluj will host Rapid Bucharest in another traditional derby of Romanian football.
On Monday, in Clinceni, Metaloglobus will face Hermannstadt, and FC Botoşani will play at home against Dinamo Bucharest.
Rapid leads the standings with 35 points, followed by FC Botoşani with 32 and Dinamo with 30.
On Saturday, Romania’s national rugby team will play its last friendly this autumn. In Bucharest, the Oaks will face Uruguay. Two weeks ago, Romania defeated Canada 31–21, and last Saturday they lost to the United States 18–26. (VP)
