FLASH
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Albania and Serbia face off in a 2026 World Cup qualifier on Saturday night. The match to be played in Tirana carries more weight than just the result.
This clash is one of the most politically and emotionally charged 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.
With national identities deeply intertwined, organizers are working to ensure that echoes of past confrontations are kept at bay.
The last time the two teams met on Albanian soil was in 2015, when Serbia won 2-0, despite Serbian fans being banned from attending the match.
Both countries are in the same qualifying group along with England, Latvia and Andorra.
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 the match could not continue due to the hostile environment in the stadium.
This ensured Albania's qualification for the 2016 European Championship, the first time 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 that 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, adding, "we are here to please the fans and give our best for victory."
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," Duka told the Associated Press.
He said there would 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.”
Although political tensions have eased somewhat in recent years, nationalists and football fans on both sides remain 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 this sense, with all due respect to Albania." /Pamphlet adapted from Independent /
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