Why UEFA Nations League match between Romania and Kosovo was abandoned – Firstpost

Thursday’s goalless draw between France and Israel at Stade de France in Paris wasn’t the only match in the UEFA Nations League this week to witness fan trouble, with the fixture between Romania and Kosovo in Bucharest the following day facing similar problems.

The France-Israel game took place in a tense atmosphere
amid heavy security in the ‘City of Light’, with the arrival of the Israeli team, who were protected by an elite anti-terrorist police unit, leading to massive protests in the French capital due to Tel Aviv’s ongoing offensive in Gaza and in Lebanon.

Watch |
French Fans Boo Israeli Anthem Amid Gaza War Tensions

Neither Romania nor Kosovo have any involvement in Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas and Hezbollah. The match between these two nations, however, witnessed plenty of crowd trouble regardles. And unlike the France-Israel game that ended in a goalless draw, this match ended up getting abandoned.

Why was the Nations League match between Romania and Kosovo abandoned?

Friday’s match at the National Arena in Bucharest was first suspended during the second half stoppage time and later abandoned after the Kosovan players decided to walk off the ground after repeatedly being bombarded with “Serbia” chants from the Romanian crowd.

The game was initially suspended after the visitors, who had 17 shots compared to Romania’s 4, left the pitch with just seconds left on the clock. With the Kosovans not returning to the pitch more than an hour after storming off, the match was eventually abandoned.

Breaking | Surreal! Kosovo walk off the pitch in the 93rd minute of their Nations League match in Romania after the local fans chanted Serbia’s name. Game interrupted!!! The Kosovo players are inside their locker. pic.twitter.com/CZUp2dvRIN

— Emanuel Roşu (@Emishor) November 15, 2024

Kosovo had declared independence from Serbia in 2008, and is currently recognised by more than 100 countries. Serbia, though, has refused to acknowledge Kosovo’s independence and neither has Romania.

Friday’s fixture in Bucharest was hardly the first time a football game between Romania and Kosovo witnessed trouble over “Serbia” chants, with matches between these two nations generally having an air of disturbance.

How have Kosovo and the UEFA responded?

The UEFA did not specify the exact reason for the match getting suspended, only stating that it had been “abandoned” and would “communicate further information in due course” in a note on its website on Friday. Later on Saturday, the governing body for European football added that it had instigated disciplinary proceedings against both federations.

The Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK), meanwhile, claimed it had sent multiple warnings to the UEFA regarding potential trouble in the continental match in Bucharest, and added that the visiting team was forced to walk off due to an “unacceptable atmosphere” at the stadium.

“Cries such as ‘Kosovo is Serbia’ and ‘Serbia, Serbia’, whistling during the singing of the national anthem of Kosovo, throwing hard objects … and other offensive and provocative actions were present throughout the match, creating an unacceptable atmosphere not safe for our players,” read a statement from the FFK on Saturday.

“FFK had warned the relevant Uefa bodies more than twice in writing about the possibility of such actions, once a few days before the match and then a few minutes before it started.

“Despite these warnings, the Romanian fans continued with irresponsible and discriminatory behaviour, forcing the Kosovo national team to leave the field due to the lack of safety and dignity,” the statement added.