March 31, 2026 could become one of the greatest days in the history of post-war Kosovo. This is if the national football team defeats Turkey in the match being played on Tuesday at 08:45 PM at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina.

The entire country, as well as the Albanian people everywhere—both in Kosovo and across the world—are mobilizing massively in support of the 23 players, from whom it is expected that, through their commitment on the field, they will write great moments for the state and the nation by making a centuries-old dream a reality—Kosovo’s participation in the 2026 World Cup, something that until 10 years ago seemed impossible.

Today’s date is being considered almost equal in mobilizing importance to another historic date from 27 years ago: March 31, 1999.

On that day, a call was made for mobilization in the war for freedom, under the emblem of the Kosovo Liberation Army, against Serbia and Yugoslavia.

KLA war veteran Gazmend Syla, who was 16 at the time, recalls that it was essential for men and women to join this mobilization.

“It meant a lot for many of our compatriots who were not in Kosovo or were living and working abroad. So we are talking about our diaspora, but also other citizens who had left Kosovo and were no longer here. They were, for example, in Montenegro, Albania, or other countries. The call was: whoever you are, men and women who meet the conditions and are of age, join our war for liberation. This was extremely important because at that time, we did not have many fighters in Kosovo, due to major offensives and the expulsion of the Albanian population outside the country. Therefore, it was essential that all men and women ready to defend their homeland come and take up arms and join us here,” Syla recounts.

According to the deputy head of the Organization of KLA War Veterans, the mobilization call had an impact, including in the diaspora.

“It had its effect because our diaspora living abroad responded in a way to this call for mobilization. We have cases where many of our compatriots living abroad joined our army, which was already nearly ready and sufficiently supplied with weapons along the Albanian-Albanian border. They came there, began training, and prepared to enter the war. This happened a few days later, when Operation ‘Arrow’ began, along with the Battle of Kosharë. So in a way, it yielded results, as all those migrants living abroad responded to the call and came. You know about the Atlantic Battalion that responded, as well as many other compatriots who came and became part of the KLA ranks, specifically at the Albanian-Albanian border, in Kosharë,” he further explains.

Since the response to the mobilization call was successful, there was no need for a second call. This was also due to another reason—the intensification of NATO’s airstrikes was increasingly weakening Serbia and Yugoslavia.

“At that time, it was extremely important—again, I repeat—when the mobilization call was made, there was a sense of urgency: ‘Please come, as we may be nearing the end of the war and the international factor, more specifically NATO, may intervene very soon. Therefore, come so we can deliver that final blow and accelerate NATO’s intervention.’ And that is what happened. It was almost the first and only time I remember such a call being made, and fortunately, there was no need for further calls,” he adds.

Syla, who had actually joined the KLA before the March 31, 1999 mobilization call, says that the atmosphere in Kosovo these days reminds him, in a way—at least in terms of rising national emotions—of the period 27 years ago.

“Albanians have proven such a thing—that whenever they come together, they come out victorious. Therefore, this was extremely important then, and it remains just as important today,” he concludes.

If Kosovo wins tonight’s match against Turkey at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium, it will secure, for the first time, qualification for the FIFA World Cup, which will be held in June and July in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This is something that many countries and national teams far older than Kosovo have not achieved.