Why was Romania vs Kosovo suspended in UEFA Nations League 2024-25?

The UEFA Nations League 2024-25 match between Romania and Kosovo took an ugly turn when the match was interrupted in the second-half injury time at the National Arena in Romania on Friday.

Kosovo players walk off the pitch before the end of the match against Romania in the UEFA Nations League 2024-25. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

The UEFA Nations League 2024-25 match between Romania and Kosovo took an ugly turn when the match was interrupted in the second-half injury time at the National Arena in Romania on Friday.

While the match remained goalless, Kosovo dominated the match, with 17 shots compared to four from the hosts. However, the disturbance reportedly rose from some of the fans in the stands, who chanted “Serbia!”, directed at the visiting side.

The tensions between Serbia and Kosovo stem from the latter’s unilateral proclamation of independence from the former in 2008 -- something that the Serbs do not recognise. This impasse has maintained tensions between the two parties, while Serbia claims Kosovo the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija.

Kosovo has recognition from more than 100 countries, but not from Romania.

Owing to the friction, the chants at Kosovo players and staff incensed the visiting side, which only got worse after a heated argument between Denis Alibec (Romania) and Amir Rrahmani (Kosovo) that led to the two holding each other’s collars.

The entire episode ended with Kosovo players and staff walking off the pitch in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time.

Romania waited for an hour for the players to return which did not happen and in a bizarre turn of events, the referee resumed play with only Romanian players on the pitch and soon blew the full-time whistle, deeming the fixture suspended.

Matches between the two teams have always had the air of disturbance, with the previous instance being a clash at Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina, Kosovo on September 6, 2024. That game, too, was interrupted multiple times for reasons which included chants like “Kosovo is Serbia!”

The match had ended 3-0 in favour of Romania while the Kosovo Football Federation was fined a total of 61,000 euros (USD 67,502, INR 56.72 lakhs) for violence in that game.

Romania, with four wins in as many games, leads its group standings while Kosovo is second, with nine points off four matches. If this game is forfeited, Romania is likely to be declared the winner with a 3-0 win, as is the norm for abandoned games.