WARSAW, Poland (Interstat) — Poland opened its World Cup qualifying campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 comeback victory over Albania on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at a rain-slicked PGE Narodowy stadium. The result defied a resilient Albanian side that took a second-half lead before succumbing to the hosts’ pressure.

In a match organized by FIFA for World Cup qualification, the visitors from Albania disrupted Poland’s plans for a straightforward start to the campaign. The first half was a tense, physical affair with few clear chances, though Albania’s Mario Mitaj received the game’s first yellow card in the 34th minute for a tactical foul.

The match sparked to life just after halftime. Against the run of play, Albania broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute. Substitute Mario Mitaj, having entered the match earlier, provided a precise assist to fellow substitute Arbër Hoxha, who finished calmly to stun the home crowd. The goal gave Albania a surprising lead and placed Poland’s qualifying ambitions under immediate pressure.

Poland responded with increased urgency. The equalizer came in the 63rd minute from captain Robert Lewandowski. The veteran forward demonstrated his enduring class, positioning himself expertly to convert a scoring chance and level the match at 1-1. The goal shifted momentum firmly in Poland’s favor.

Ten minutes later, Poland completed the turnaround. Midfielder Piotr Zieliński secured the decisive goal in the 73rd minute, putting the hosts ahead 2-1. Albania’s challenge grew more difficult when defender Elseid Hysaj was shown a yellow card in the 79th minute as the visitors struggled to contain Poland’s attacking momentum.

The final stages grew increasingly fractious. Lewandowski received a yellow card in the 87th minute, followed swiftly by a booking for Albania’s Kristjan Asllani a minute later. Deep into stoppage time, Poland substitute Karol Świderski was also cautioned as the hosts managed the tense finale.

The final whistle confirmed Poland’s winning start to the World Cup qualifying tournament. According to pre-match projections, the outcome was more contested than expected. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 1-0 victory for Poland, while its ELO rating system gave Poland a 72.9 percent probability of winning.

With the result, Poland begins the qualifying cycle with one win and no losses. Albania starts with one loss and no wins. Both records apply to this specific World Cup qualifying competition and to each nation’s overall record across all competitions for the season. Poland next faces a qualifier against England, while Albania will prepare to host Finland, as the lengthy road to the 2026 World Cup continues.