Ten years ago today, Football Federation of Kosovo achieved one of the greatest milestones in the country’s sporting history, as Kosovo officially became the 210th member of FIFA.
At the 66th FIFA Congress held in Mexico City on May 13, 2016, Kosovo secured 141 votes in favor out of 164 valid votes, completing a historic journey that ended decades of sporting isolation.
The achievement came only ten days after Kosovo’s admission into UEFA on May 3, 2016, marking the final breakthrough for Kosovo football on the international stage after more than 25 years of exclusion.
Before the vote, then-FIFA Council member Şenes Erzik addressed delegates and emphasized that Kosovo had fulfilled all the necessary criteria to become a FIFA member.
The late legendary Kosovo football figure Fadil Vokrri then delivered an emotional speech, reminding delegates of Kosovo’s long football tradition and highlighting the country’s prior acceptance into the International Olympic Committee and numerous international sports federations.
“Football is for everyone, and everyone should be for football,” Vokrri declared while asking delegates to support Kosovo’s membership bid.
The vice president of the Football Association of Serbia opposed Kosovo’s admission during the Congress, but FIFA president Gianni Infantino stressed that the Congress itself was the supreme body responsible for deciding the matter before proceeding to the electronic vote.
Following Kosovo’s successful admission, Vokrri thanked FIFA leadership and member associations, describing the moment as historic for all people in Kosovo.
“This is a very important date for us because today we became part of FIFA. Everyone in Kosovo is celebrating this decision. We waited a long time for this moment and we are very happy. I promise that we will protect the values of football,” Vokrri said after the vote, before symbolically receiving the FIFA emblem from Infantino.
Kosovo’s FIFA membership opened the doors for its national teams and clubs to compete internationally under their own flag, transforming the country’s football landscape and inspiring a new generation of players and supporters.
