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The President of the Polish Federation fears the duel with Albania: It is difficult to play against them, maybe there were softer paths...
The Polish national team has learned its opponents in the qualifying round for a place in the 2026 World Cup.
“ Maybe there were softer paths ,” commented Cezary Kulesza in an interview with “ WP SportoweFakty .” The president of the Polish Football Federation also did not rule out the possibility of a possible final against Ukraine being played in Poland.
The Polish national team finished second in Group G of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and will compete in the spring qualifiers to qualify for next year's tournament. If Jan Urban's team defeats Albania, they will face either Ukraine or Sweden in the decisive match.
He did not hide the fact that the Poles could theoretically have drawn easier opponents. However, their advantage certainly remains qualification for the World Cup…
" It's hard to say whether luck was on our side. Maybe there were softer paths, but the draw fell on us the way it fell on us. We have to win these matches. Nobody will give us a free ticket to the World Cup ," the Polish president noted.
Time for a second match with Albania
The semifinals will be played on March 26, while the finals are scheduled for March 31. The president warned that the situation of individual teams could change in the coming months.
" The qualifiers are only four months away and, without wishing anyone well, injuries could crop up in these teams, players could change clubs in the meantime and the form of some international players could change. Many factors will influence the team before the qualifiers. Let's hope we avoid injuries, our players are in the form of their lives, we have a lot of footballing luck and we manage to get through the qualifiers ," he added.
The Albanian national team cannot be underestimated, as Fernando Santos himself discovered. His team suffered a 2-0 defeat in Tirana in September 2023, and the Portuguese resigned as coach a few days later…
“ The Albanians are a very good team, especially at home. There is always a lot of support in their stadium, everyone reacts with enthusiasm. We have played against them, so I know how it is. It is difficult to play against them. This time, our advantage is that we are playing at home. It is all in our minds and our feet ,” said Kulesza.
Will the Polish Football Federation reach an agreement with the Ukrainians if a possible final against Ukraine could be held in Poland?
" There is a possibility, but the decision is up to the Ukrainians. It all depends on what they do, whether they want to play in Poland or look for another stadium in Europe. Knowing our fans, they will travel to the match and there will be enthusiastic support from them ," the Federation helmsman continued.
Jan Urban's record as coach so far is four wins and two draws. Poland managed to pull off a comfortable win against the Netherlands, but in Malta they struggled to secure three points...
" We have taken four points in the last two games. We played on equal terms against the Netherlands, a high-level opponent. Of course, there was a slight lull against Malta, but in the end we won and took the three points. Jan Urban did everything he could. I don't think there is anyone who would criticize Jan Urban's work. We are all satisfied with his work. We have a coaching staff, also chosen by the coach, and everyone is working well, and this is bringing results ," concluded Çezari Kulesza.
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