Kosovo all set to make history

PRISTINA: Despite several potential players remaining in “limbo”, Kosovo will make history on Monday, playing their first ever competitive match in a World Cup qualifier

PRISTINA: Despite several potential players remaining in “limbo”, Kosovo will make history on Monday, playing their first ever competitive match in a World Cup qualifier against Finland.

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Kosovo became the 210th member of Fifa in May but excitement ahead of the Balkans outfit’s historic game has been marred by questions over who will be allowed to play for the team. According to Fifa’s rules, someone who has played for another national team cannot normally switch allegiance, so a number of Kosovo’s potential players have had to apply individually for special permission — which is still awaited.

“It is unprecedented as they played for other national teams while Kosovo was not a member of Fifa... Now they should be given this opportunity like everyone else,” the head of Kosovo’s football association Fadil Vokrri told AFP. “Fifa should allow a one-off exemption for Kosovo.”

A Fifa spokesman said the various applications “are currently pending and being investigated” but he could not give an estimation of how long the decision process would take.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Belgrade in 2008 and remains unrecognised by several countries, including Serbia and Russia.

Serbia vehemently opposed Kosovo’s admittance to world governing body Fifa, which came soon after Europe’s governing body Uefa narrowly approved their membership.

A total of 24 players with roots in Kosovo currently play for six other national teams. Most of them play for Albania, who are mourning the decision of four players so far from their European Championships squad earlier this summer to play for Kosovo. Others include Belgium’s Adnan Januzaj, Finland’s Perparim Hetemaj and Sweden’s Arber Zeneli, who all await the green light from Fifa.

JUST THE BEGINNING

Amid the uncertainty ahead of the game at Finland’s Turku Stadium, coach Albert Bunjaki has had to operate with two lists of footballers — 15 who can definitely play and 11 who are awaiting permission.

He decided to assemble the first meeting of the team on September 1 in Turku for intensive training ahead of the match.

Despite the complications, Bunjaki remained upbeat. “This is just the beginning of the project of creating a good team for the next European Championships,” he said.

Along with Finland, Kosovo will face Croatia, Turkey, Iceland and Ukraine in their debut in World Cup qualifying.