The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled against the appeal filed by the Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK) regarding the interrupted match against Romania in the UEFA Nations League, upholding UEFA’s original decision.
The match, played in November last year, was halted when Kosovo’s national team walked off the pitch in protest against hate speech and anti-national chants coming from Romanian fans.
FFK appealed UEFA’s decision to fine Kosovo €6,000 and hold them responsible for abandoning the match.
CAS Statement:
“A hearing was held at CAS headquarters in Lausanne on March 24, 2025. The panel reviewed the evidence and concluded that the Kosovo players unilaterally decided to leave the pitch without valid instruction from the referee and were responsible for the abandonment of the match.
The panel acknowledged that the players’ decision was prompted by certain offensive chants. While such chants are unacceptable and subject to separate UEFA sanctions, they do not justify the abandonment of the match by the Kosovo team.
It was the referee’s responsibility to determine the appropriate course of action. Moreover, the panel noted that Kosovo’s players clearly refused to follow the referee’s instructions to return to the pitch and resume the match.
The panel determined that the FFK, not the Romanian Football Federation (RFF), was responsible for the non-completion of the match. The FFK’s appeal is dismissed and the contested decision is upheld,” the CAS decision stated.
