Kosovo’s National Team walked off the pitch in protest against alleged discriminatory chants by Romanian fans during their Nations League match in Bucharest. Despite the win, Romania has been ordered to play their next match without spectators due to the racist and xenophobic behavior of their fans, particularly anti-Hungarian chants.
The incident occurred when Kosovo players left the field with the score at 0-0, citing “offensive and provocative actions” from the home crowd, including chants of “Kosovo is Serbia.” The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) denied any racist chants during the match.
UEFA’s disciplinary decision did not mention Serbia but imposed a fine of 128,000 euros (£106,000) on Romania for the chanting and other offenses, such as disrupting the national anthem and transmitting provocative political messages.
This marks the third disciplinary action involving these teams in recent years. Previously, Romania was fined 40,000 euros (£33,400) and required to play a match behind closed doors due to provocative chanting during a Euro 2024 qualifier. Similarly, Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK) was fined 61,000 euros (£50,900) for fan misconduct in a Nations League match.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, following a history of conflict and strained relations. While Kosovo’s independence is recognized by 100 countries, including the United Kingdom, it is not recognized by Romania and Serbia. Consequently, Kosovo and Serbia are kept apart in UEFA and FIFA competitions.
For more details, visit the article on BBC Sport.