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Associated Press: Albania, Serbia face off in qualifying match amid political tensions
2025-06-06 19:45:25 / SPORT
The roar of the crowd or the excitement of the match are hallmarks of international football. But when Albania and Serbia meet on Saturday in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, the energy will be different.
The match in Tirana is not just about three points, as the echoes of past clashes are impossible to ignore. It is a clash deeply rooted in national identities that the organizers are fighting hard to put aside.
It is one of the most politically charged and emotionally intense rivalries in European football, rooted in deep historical and ethnic tensions, particularly in relation to the Kosovo conflict and the wider history of the Balkans.
Serbia and Albania are in the same qualifying group for the European Championship — along with England, Latvia and Andorra.
The last time they met on Albanian soil was in 2015, when Serbia won 2-0 even though Serbian fans were banned from the match.
The 2014 Belgrade brawl is still fresh in the memory.
A 2014 match between the teams in Belgrade was interrupted when a drone carrying an Albanian flag caused a large-scale brawl. Albania was awarded a 3-0 victory after a decision said the match could not continue due to the hostile environment in the stadium. This secured Albania's qualification for the 2016 European Championship — a first for the team.
That match was already considered high-stakes. Kosovo, which has a majority Albanian population, declared independence from Serbia in 2008 — a move Serbia does not recognize. Football, often a mirror of nationalism and politics, reflected this deep divide.
As Tirana prepares for the final showdown, memories of that night — and the nationalist fervor it unleashed — linger just beneath the surface.
Serbia's tense relations with Kosovo
Serbia and Albania remain at odds over the status of Kosovo, now independent, and the rivalry between fans is still strong.
Almost half of the Albanian team is of Albanian origin from Kosovo, North Macedonia or southern Serbia.
For the players, it's a competition overshadowed by history, politics and national pride – a reminder that sometimes sport is anything but a game.
Albania defender Elseid Hysaj, who was part of the 2014 match, said the chaos "should not be repeated."
"We have to be calm and aware that we are football players," he said. "We are here to please the fans and give our best for victory."
Organizers remind fans that it is a match
Armand Duka, president of the Albanian Football Federation, called on Albanians to see the match as a sporting event "where the team receives support and positive energy from the fans to achieve the goal."
"We want to give the message: let's live it as a sports celebration," the Duke told the Associated Press.
There will be a heavy police presence, road closures and checks on fans entering the stadium. Serbian fans are banned from entering, which "will contribute to a calmer environment," Duka said.
The sides have taken steps to forge a better relationship. Albania and Serbia will co-host the 2027 European Men's Under-21 Championship, in a project that aims to overcome political tensions.
“Players do not carry the burden of history or political tensions,” said Duka. “They compete on the field to win, to give their best for the jersey they represent and, above all, to build bridges of respect through the game.”
Nationalists and football fans at odds
Although political tensions have eased somewhat in recent years, nationalists and football fans on both sides are deeply at odds with each other. Both Albania and Serbia have faced sanctions from European football's governing body over politically charged incidents involving fans.
However, Serbia's populist president, Aleksandar Vučić, recently added fuel to the fire by telling Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic at a large rally of his supporters that Serbia must win.
“Go there and beat them,” he said, addressing Stojkovic who was in the crowd.
Stojkovic and some players have tried to ease tensions, saying it's just another match.
“Everyone says the first match is very important,” Stojkovic said of Serbia’s opening match in Group K. “We are very focused on starting it the way we want and we will prepare to play as best we can in that sense, with all due respect to Albania.”
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