Romania was officially awarded a 3-0 victory against Kosovo after their Nations League match in Bucharest was abandoned. The decision came after Kosovo’s players walked off the pitch in response to pro-Serbia chants from the home crowd.
Kosovo team protests over crowd behavior
The game, which was set to be a competitive encounter, descended into chaos when Kosovo’s players chose to leave the field, citing the hostile atmosphere created by the Romanian fans. Kosovo had raised concerns to UEFA before the match about potential provocations, and the team ultimately decided they could not continue under such circumstances.
Despite Kosovo’s protest, Romanian authorities denied that pro-Serbia chants were heard and claimed that Kosovo’s departure was a deliberate decision to abandon the match. UEFA has since ruled in favor of the hosts, awarding Romania a 3-0 win by default.
UEFA issues fines to both federations
Following the abandonment, UEFA imposed fines on both football federations. Kosovo’s Football Federation was hit with a €6,000 fine for the actions of its team. Meanwhile, the Romanian Football Federation faced a €128,000 fine for the behavior of its fans, who were found to have engaged in discriminatory conduct during the match.
In addition to the fines, Romania was ordered to play their next home match behind closed doors, due to the racist and discriminatory behavior displayed by supporters during the encounter.
A history of tension between the two nations
This incident follows a similar pattern of political tensions spilling over into sport. Last year, Romania was fined by UEFA for pro-Serbia chants and the display of a “Kosovo is Serbia” banner during a 2024 European Championship qualifier against Kosovo.
Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008, has been recognized by over 100 countries worldwide, though Romania remains one of the nations that does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, adding fuel to the fire in their football rivalry.
