The Kosovo national football team (Albanian: Kombëtarja e futbollit të Kosovës; Serbian: Фудбалска репрезентација Косова, romanized:Fudbalska reprezentacija Kosova) represents Kosovo in men's international football. The team is controlled by the Football Federation of Kosovo, the governing body for football in Kosovo, and is under the jurisdiction of FIFA globally.
On 29 November 1942, Kosovo for first time in its history played a friendly match as part of the celebrations for 30th Anniversary of the Independence of Albania against Tirana[a] and the match ended with a 2–0 away defeat and the starting line-up of that match was Mustafa Daci (GK), Ballanca, Ahmet Zaimi, Mazllum Xërxa, Veseli, Hajdar Hamza, Nebil Dylatahu, Ramadan Vraniqi, Dobrica Barbaroga,[b] Bajrami and Henci.[5][6][4]
—The reasoning of the then head coach of Yugoslavia, Rajko Mitić for the reason for organizing the Kosovo–Yugoslavia match.[4]
On 8 November 1967, Kosovo for first time as autonomous province of SFR Yugoslavia played a friendly match against Yugoslavia and the match ended with a 3–3 home draw and the starting line-up of that match was a mix between Albanian and Serbian players as Milosavlević, Stevanović, Mušikić, Abrashi, S. Džukić, V. Džukić, Brovina, Hatibi, Radović, Prekazi and Pindović, for Yugoslavia this match it was a pre-preparation before the UEFA Euro 1968 qualifying match against Albania.
"I am very pleased with the team's performance even though we had predicted a stronger opponent. However, I want to emphasize that our players have been fantastic. The fact that we do not play many international matches may have inspired the players to give it their all this time."
—Opinion of the then coach Muharrem Sahiti after the match against Monaco.[9]
One of the most important international matches was a 1–0 win over Saudi Arabia played on 15 June 2007. It was the first time that Kosovo played against a team that has taken part in the FIFA World Cup and the winning goal was scored by Kristian Nushi from the penalty kick on the 84th minute.[11] On 22 April 2006, Kosovo achieved their biggest win, defeating Monaco 7–1. If one included matches played before Kosovo became a FIFA member, this scoreline is their best result yet.[12]
On 6 May 2008, after its declaration of independence from Serbia, Kosovo applied for FIFA membership. On 24 October 2008, Kosovo's application was discussed at the FIFA Congress in Zürich and Kosovo's bid was rejected. At the occasion, FIFA's determined Kosovo could not even play friendly matches against FIFA members' national teams.[14]
Kosovo starting line-up in first international friendly against Haiti (4–3–3)[18][19]
On 6 February 2013, FIFA decided to allow Kosovan club teams to play friendly games against clubs from countries whose national teams were members of FIFA.[20] However, it was stipulated that Kosovan clubs and teams could not display national symbols such as the Kosovan flag, emblem, etc., or play the Kosovan anthem.[20]
On 5 March 2014, the Kosovan football team was finally allowed by FIFA to play its first international friendly match, against Haiti; the match ended in a 0–0 draw.[21][22] Before the match, some players of Kosovo posed with guns at a shooting range, causing a stir in Serbia.[23] On the eve of the match, supporters of Kosovo burned the flag of Serbia.[24] This incident prompted the Football Association of Serbia to request that FIFA revoked Kosovo's right to play international friendlies.[25]
After the match against Haiti, six more matches were held in 2014, against Turkey, Senegal, Oman, Equatorial Guinea and Albania. The first win in these friendlies was against Oman, by 1–0,[26] while the biggest defeat a 1–6 against Turkey.[27]
In September 2015, at an UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Malta, the request from Kosovo for admission in UEFA was scheduled for deliberation in the next Ordinary Congress, to be held in Budapest.[28] On 3 May 2016, at the Ordinary Congress, Kosovo was accepted into UEFA after members voted 28–24 in favor of Kosovo.[29][30] Ten days later, Kosovo was accepted in FIFA during their 66th Congress in Mexico, with 141 votes in favour and 23 against.[31]
First tournament
Debut in World Cup qualification and nearly successful first Euro attempt
Kosovo began to make their debut in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, where Kosovo was assigned with Croatia, Finland, Iceland, Turkey and Ukraine.[32][33] The Kosovars created its first major surprise, holding host Finland to a 1–1 draw,[34] but it turned to be the lone point of Kosovo in the qualification, as the team lost the remaining games and finished last.
Kosovo's most used starting line-up during their fifteen-match unbeaten run (4–3–3)[35][36]
Following the failure to qualify for 2018 FIFA World Cup, Kosovo participated in the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League D sharing group with Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands and Malta,[37][38] where the Kosovars topped their group undefeated to reach the country's first-ever play-offs in its attempt to qualify for UEFA Euro 2020.[39] After the successful Nations League, Kosovo entered the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying, where they shared group A with Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Montenegro and 2018 World Cup fourth place finisher England.[40] As the dark horse of the qualification, Kosovo however created a major phenomenon, managed to beat Bulgaria, Montenegro and especially, a shock home win over the Czechs to take the second place behind England, being 15 matches and on that time nearly two years without defeat winning 11 of these 15 matches. The game against England away even saw the Kosovars took an early lead in the surprise, even though they were unable to protect it and fell 3–5 away, ending the longest unbeaten run in the football history of Kosovo.[41] In the decisive match against the Czechs away, which Kosovo needed a win to directly qualify for the first time, Kosovo gained a shock lead, but failed to protect it again as they lost 1–2 and could only participate in the play-off,[42] but this remained to be Kosovo's greatest success up to date.
Setback
After successfully obtained a play-off position, Kosovo headed to the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League C, being drawn with Greece, Moldova and Slovenia.[43] After impressive performance in the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying, Kosovo was tipped favorably to promote to League B. Yet, Kosovo began the Nations League with a disappointing 1–1 away draw to Moldova,[44] before the team which was halved due to the absences of key players suffered a 1–2 home loss against Greece.[45]
In Kosovo's first competitive UEFA Euro play-offs, Kosovo was drawn against North Macedonia.[42] However, Kosovo was eliminated after losing 1–2 to the Macedonians in Skopje.[46] After the elimination in the play-off's semifinals, the Kosovo's setback continues and the year 2020 was ended six losses, two draws and a victory in the last match of the year against Moldova, a victory which secured the attitude even for another season in the League C of the UEFA Nations League.[47] The result marked the conclusion of a challenging period and initiated a new phase for the national team.[47]
The path to stabilization and growth
In the qualification campaign for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Kosovo competed in Group B alongside Georgia, Greece, Spain and Sweden.[48] Despite some competitive performances, Kosovo finished second from bottom in the group and did not secure qualification.[49] In the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League, Kosovo showed signs of improvement. The team finished second in its League C group, registering wins against Cyprus,[50]Northern Ireland,[51] and suffering two losses from Greece. This position granted Kosovo access to the playoff route for UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying via the Nations League rankings.[52] During the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying, Kosovo was placed in a group with Andorra, Belarus, Israel, Romania and Switzerland. After a series of results, including multiple draws, Kosovo concluded the campaign in fourth place with 11 points, missing out on direct qualification.[53]
In the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League, Kosovo competed in League C, alongside Cyprus, Lithuania and Romania.[54] The national team began the campaign with a home defeat to Romania but responded with several convincing victories, including two wins over Cyprus and an away win against Lithuania.[55] The return match against Romania, held on 15 November 2024 in Bucharest, was abandoned and later awarded as a 3–0 forfeit loss to Kosovo.[56] The decision came after tensions escalated during the match, involving clashes between players and fans, object-throwing, and physical altercations on the pitch,[57] leading UEFA to end the game prematurely and issue disciplinary action.[58] Kosovo finished second in the group with 13 points, securing a spot in the promotion play-offs to League B.[59] In March 2025, Kosovo faced Iceland in the promotion play-offs over two legs.[60] The first leg, played home ended in a 2–1 win for Kosovo,[61] followed by a 3–1 away victory.[62] With a 5–2 aggregate score, Kosovo achieved promotion to League B of the UEFA Nations League for the first time in its history.[62]
Team image
Nicknames
The Kosovo national football team has been known or nicknamed as the "Dardanët" ("Dardanians"). In addition to the official nickname, the Kosovo national team had different nicknames in different periods as:
"Shqipëria B" ("Albania B") — During the period before 2016, the national teams of Kosovo and Albania have exchanged players with each other, which influenced these two teams to be nicknamed reserve (B) teams of each other, the Kosovo national team was nicknamed Albania B due to many players came to play for Kosovo as they had no space to play for Albania, but the same thing happened with the Albanian national team which was nicknamed Kosovo B due to of the large number of players of Kosovo Albanian descent in its composition.[63]
"Ekipi i Kosovës" ("Team Kosovo") — The Kosovo national team during the 2009–10 period was introduced with the nickname that was used as an alternative name in order to avoid possible sanctions by UEFA and FIFA against Kosovo and the opponents that Kosovo played. After Kosovo was allowed on 6 February 2013 by FIFA to play against FIFA member associations in international friendlies,[20] this alternative name was no longer used.
"Brazili i Ballkanit" ("Brazil of the Balkans") — The Kosovo national team was nicknamed the Brazil of the Balkans during their fifteen-match unbeaten run during the 2018–19 season.[36][64][65]
Kosovo kit in the first competitive match against Finland in September 2016.
The Kosovo kit has been mostly red and black before declaration of independence with few changes throughout the years and after the independence the kits are mostly blue and yellow. On 5 October 2016, Kosovo signed with Spanish sportswear company Kelme to a four-year contract and was the first official kit suppliers of Kosovo after membership in UEFA and FIFA.[66] On 23 February 2022, Kosovo signed with Italian sportswear company Erreà to a three-year contract for it to the kit suppliers of Kosovo.[67]
Kosovo's home stadium is the Fadil Vokrri Stadium. The stadium capacity is 13,500, which makes it the second largest national stadium in Kosovo. Kosovo's previous national stadium was the Adem Jashari Olympic Stadium which is currently under renovation. Kosovo also used Loro Boriçi Stadium during the 2018 FIFA World Cupqualifying campaign,[68][69] and this happened after the two stadiums in Pristina and Mitrovica at that time were under renovation and do not meet UEFA standards.[70] On 12 July 2019, the construction of Kosovo National Stadium began,[71] and two days later the project of this stadium was presented which would have a capacity of 30,000 seats,[72] but after the presentation, the construction was suspended for political reasons related to the location.[73]
This derby is otherwise known as Brotherly derby (Albanian: Derbi vëllazëror), also known as the Brotherly (Albanian: Vëllazërorja). The documented beginnings of this derby date back to the time during the World War II, respectively on 29 November 1942, where they played a friendly match as part of the celebrations for 30th Anniversary of the Independence of Albania and the match ended with a 2–0 win for Tirana,[a][5][6][4] this derby is back 50 years after the first match, when the Football Federation of Kosovo signed a cooperation protocol with the Albanian Football Association and in the framework of this protocol it was decided to play on 14 February a friendly match between these two national teams,[7] and this match ended with a 3–1 win for Albania.[8]
Romania
Kosovo and Romania have a tense football rivalry, largely due to Romania's support for Serbia's territorial integrity and has not recognized the legitimacy of Kosovo's independence. The two teams have faced each other several times, with each match resulting in significant controversy. In a September 2023 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying, Kosovo walked off the pitch in protest after incidents involving Romanian fans, including pro-Serbia chants and banners.[78] The match resumed, but Kosovo's appeal for a 3–0 victory was rejected and Romania won 2–0.[79] In their 2024–25 UEFA Nations League encounters, tensions escalated further with fights on the pitch, object-throwing and clashes between players and fans.[57] The final match was abandoned and Romania was later awarded a 3–0 victory.[56] Both teams faced fines for the incidents and the Football Federation of Kosovo subsequently confirmed they would appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.[58]
On 9 June 2016, the UEFA Emergency Panel decided that Kosovo would join Croatia, Finland, Iceland, Turkey and Ukraine in Group I, and also decided that Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia should not play against Kosovo for security reasons.[32][33] On 5 September 2016, Kosovo made its debut in FIFA World Cup qualification with a 1–1 away draw against Finland, with Kosovo's equalizing goal being scored by newcomer Valon Berisha from a penalty kick in the 60th minute.[34] On 2 September 2021, Kosovo achieved their first win in the FIFA World Cup qualifications a 1–0 away win against Georgia.[96]
On 24 January 2018, in Lausanne, it was decided that Kosovo should be part of League D in Group 3 of the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League, together with Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands and Malta.[37][38] On 7 September 2018, Kosovo made their debut in the UEFA Nations League with a 0–0 away draw against Azerbaijan.[102] On 10 September 2018, Kosovo achieved their first win in the UEFA Nations League, which was also the team's first-ever competitive win, a 2–0 home win against the Faroe Islands.[103] Kosovo finished the league unbeaten (with four wins and two draws) and will be promoted to the next tier (C league) for the next edition.[39]
↑ Dobrica Barbaroga was the Albanianized full name of Dobrica Barbarogić by the media of that time, which seems to be expression of peaceful coexistence with national minorities even in Kosovo at that time.[5]
↑ The Romania v Kosovo match was suspended at 0–0 during second-half stoppage time, after Romanian supporters allegedly began chanting pro-Serbian and anti-Kosovo slogans. The Kosovo team left the pitch, with the match abandoned thereafter.[57] On 20 November 2024, UEFA announced that Kosovo was deemed to have forfeited the match, which was therefore awarded as a 3–0 win for Romania.[56] The Football Federation of Kosovo subsequently confirmed they would appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.[58]
↑ Additional matches are scheduled to be played in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the first world cup, however they are not considered to be official hosts of the tournament.[97]
↑ "Fitore historike kunder Arabise - Nushi "sheiku" i Kosovës"[Historic win against Arabia - Nushi "sheik" of Kosovo]. Futbolli.com (in Albanian). 7 September 2002. Archived from the original on 30 November 2007. Emri i Kristian Nushit pa dyshim do të hyjë në historinë e futbollit kosovarë. Në realitet, futbollisti i deritashëm i skuadrës zvicerane, Vill, ka shënuar golin e fitores në minutën e 84-të në ndeshjen miqësore ndërkombëtare ndaj Arabisë Saudite qe perfundoi me rezultatin e ngushte 1:0. Nushi u tregua i saktë nga pika e bardhë, pasi më parë mbrojtësit sauditë rrëzuan brenda zonës Ismet Ramushin dhe gjyqtari pa u hamendur tregoi në pikën e bardhë
↑ "Përfaqësuesja e Kosovës në futboll"[Kosovo national team in football]. Forumi Shqiptar (in Albanian). 22 April 2006. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018. Përfaqësuesja e Kosovës mposhti atë të Monacos me rezultat 7:1
↑ "Miqesore/Kosove - Shqipëri 2-3"[Friendly/Kosovo - Albania 2-3]. AlbaniaSoccer (in Albanian). 17 February 2010. Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
↑ "FIFA's finances solid". FIFA. 24 October 2008. Archived from the original on 29 October 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2017. An application for affiliation from the Kosovo football association was deemed not to comply with art. 10 of the FIFA Statutes, which stipulates that only "an independent state recognised by the international community" may be admitted. In accordance with the Statutes, Kosovo cannot play any friendly matches
↑ "Zyrtarizohet 11-shja kosovare"[The Kosovan XI is officialized]. TopSporti (in Albanian). 5 March 2014. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
↑ "Kosova - Haiti, luhet historia"[Kosovo - Haiti, the history is played]. TopSporti (in Albanian). 5 March 2014. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
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2 (3 April 2025) [2] 
Kosovo 0–6 Croatia 
