Joint Organization of the European U-21 Championship by Serbia and Albania: A Sporting or Political Match?

The UEFA Executive Committee is set to announce on December 16 who will host the 2027 European Under-21 Championship. The only bid on the table is the joint candidacy of Serbia and Albania. Can sports succeed where other efforts have failed—to bring the peoples of the region closer together, especially Serbs and Albanians? According to the experts interviewed by Kosovo Online, using a sporting metaphor, "the ball is in the politicians' court."

By Arsenije Vuckovic

The deadline for bids to host this championship has passed, and after the withdrawal of Belgium and Turkey, Serbia and Albania remain the only contenders.

The General Secretary of the Serbian Football Association, Branko Radujko, is optimistic.

"Most of the matches will likely be held in our country. The final decision will be made in December. We are optimistic about this," said Radujko.

The President of the Albanian Football Association, Armand Duka, emphasized that this joint bid sends a message of peace, tolerance, coexistence, and cooperation.

"We must learn to live together. We have the opportunity in our hands to contribute to leaving our children a world as peaceful as possible. If everyone works in this direction, conflicts will diminish. Without a doubt, we cannot forget what happened, but the more we learn about what occurred, the more we must fight for peace," said Duka.

However, not everyone is satisfied.

Kosovo’s Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports, Hajrulla Çeku, claimed there was no communication between Albania and Kosovo regarding the decision for the joint bid.

"We only heard the news when the formal candidacy was publicly announced. Albania took a peculiar stance without prior consultation, claiming Kosovo does not meet the criteria. If we’re talking about 2027, by then we’ll have several high-standard stadiums ready for matches. This is based on analysis, not election promises," said Çeku.

Infrastructure, it seems, has been the least of the region’s problems for decades.

This was evident just days ago. A UEFA Nations League match between Romania and Kosovo was interrupted after the visiting players left the field due to chants from the stands declaring, “Kosovo is Serbia.”

"Chants like ‘Kosovo is Serbia’ and ‘Serbia, Serbia,’ whistling during the Kosovo anthem, throwing hard objects into the stadium, and other offensive and provocative actions persisted throughout the match, creating an unsafe atmosphere for our players," the Kosovo Football Association stated after the match.

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti also responded, calling the actions of the players and the association principled, fair, and beneficial for Kosovo and football.

He cited a statement by team captain Amir Rrahmani after the match.

"I will end this statement by quoting Amir Rrahmani exactly: ‘I want to appeal to UEFA and FIFA not to allow such things. Kosovo has had a tough past—war, massacres, and everything—it wasn’t easy to get here, so we deserve respect. Everyone should know that Kosovo is Kosovo or Kosovo Albania. That’s it, and it ends here,’" Kurti concluded.

A somewhat moderating voice came from journalist Baton Haxhiu, who wrote in a column for Albanian Post that while racist insults and provocations are unacceptable and warrant severe sanctions, walking off the field and the subsequent reactions were not the proper response.

"I was waiting for someone to show a normal, measured reaction without populist overtones after the events of the Kosovo-Romania match. But, unfortunately, simple populist hysteria gripped almost everyone, from the leaders of the Kosovo FA to Prime Minister Albin Kurti himself, who, instead of condemning diabolical actions and promoting sportsmanship, supported this shameful moment," wrote Haxhiu.

If UEFA is to be believed, the chant "Kosovo is Serbia" does not qualify as a racist act by fans.

This claim comes from former Romanian international and long-standing member of UEFA's Disciplinary Committee, Ionel Lupescu.

"The chant 'Serbia, Serbia,' heard towards the end of the match, is no longer interpreted by UEFA as discriminatory. As far as I know, the Football Federation of Kosovo was informed about this in advance. Also, leaving the field of play requires going through three official procedural stages. However, they immediately left the pitch and never returned," said Lupescu.

Politics and Sports

For sociologist Vladimir Vuletic, there is no doubt that UEFA's Executive Committee decision on the host of the European Championship will be a political one.

"Decisions like this, especially concerning volatile regions, are primarily political. When it comes to sports-related decisions, the focus is usually on the candidates’ ability to organize such an event. Serbia, for instance, has significant capacity. Existing stadiums and the anticipated completion of the National Stadium represent the kind of infrastructure necessary for hosting such events. That is the sports aspect.

"But from a political perspective, no one wants to organize a major tournament where there is a potential for political provocations, among other issues. So, it ultimately comes down to assessing whether there can be progress in resolving the Serbian-Albanian question and regional relations in the foreseeable future. If there is political will, then hosting such events would undoubtedly be an additional incentive and significantly accelerate this process. It would also shape people’s attitudes towards these relations," Vuletic told Kosovo Online.

He has no doubt that positive progress in Kosovo negotiations would be cemented by hosting the European Championship.

"If there were a compromise agreement or even a path toward such an agreement, hosting an event like this would undoubtedly crown the achievement of a political resolution and help cement those agreements between Serbs and Albanians," Vuletic added.

He emphasized that hosting such a major sports event would greatly contribute to stabilizing the region and fostering emotional reconciliation, particularly between Serbs and Albanians.

"It would show, both economically and politically, that this region has the strength to look forward. The stability of the region largely depends on these two key nations—Serbs and Albanians. This would be a significant boost toward stabilization, not just for Serbs and Albanians but for the entire region," Vuletic stressed.

However, he cautioned that sports have the potential to either calm or inflame nationalist tensions.

"Sports have the potential for both. Remember, sports events often serve as a stage for provocations, even in Serbia-Albania relations, testing political dynamics. However, when we talk about this significant event, where the two countries are cooperating to bid for hosting a major championship, it will undoubtedly strengthen economic and political collaboration and be a positive signal for most people," Vuletic noted.

Still, he warned that much will depend on developments regarding Kosovo.

"This might not be a direct issue between Albania and Serbia, but the risks lie in potential provocations from either Albanians or Serbs. That poses a certain level of risk. It is hard to imagine that such an event could take place without this issue coming up in some form," Vuletic concluded.

Bridges, Not Barriers

For Yugoslav sports legend and FK Partizan star Xhevad Prekazi, sports and culture are bridges that connect people rather than divide them. He remains optimistic that the joint organization of the U-21 European Championship by Serbia and Albania in 2027 will bring Serbs and Albanians closer together.

"When it comes to sports, this is good news. We know that culture, and especially sports, are bridges that connect, not divide," Prekazi told Kosovo Online.

He noted that there will always be those who oppose the idea of jointly organizing events like this, but he is confident that everyone will ultimately align with UEFA's vision, as their decision is not solely based on sports but also on politically motivated efforts to unite the peoples of the Western Balkans.

"UEFA—it's well-known that they operate politically, even though they claim not to, as well as in sports. They aim to bring people together. Let’s not forget that in recent years, we’ve been grouped with Bosnia and Herzegovina, then with Croatia during qualifiers, and with Montenegro and Macedonia. That’s how they work, and it’s a good thing. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a positive development. Sports will benefit," Prekazi emphasized.

According to him, large sporting events that involve multiple countries from the region are organizationally demanding but represent a model where everyone can gain.

"Who stands to lose? I don’t see how anything could be lost. It can only be a gain. The most important thing is that for many years now, after the unfortunate war, UEFA and FIFA have been trying to bring us together through sports. And as we can see, politicians meet constantly in all kinds of settings. People should not be denied anything when it comes to sports and culture," Prekazi stated.

When asked whether this event would bring Serbs and Albanians closer together or push them further apart, the celebrated Yugoslav footballer remained optimistic but also cautioned that any negative outcome would mean going against UEFA and FIFA, which, he pointed out, could lead to consequences beyond financial penalties.

"As an optimist, I always think positively and believe this will bring people closer together. Sports truly foster connection. In sports, you shouldn’t look at who someone is, what they are, or where they come from. That’s how it should always be. Let’s not forget that at every international match we watch, the slogans 'Fair Play' and 'No to Racism' are displayed. So I think, and it should be, a positive step because everyone would benefit in some way.

"You shouldn’t close the door to FIFA or UEFA because their measures are drastic, and we all know how they enforce them. It’s not just financial penalties; they can ban anyone from participating in such events," Prekazi concluded.

Fan Passions

Sports journalist and host of the show Sportcenter on ABC News, Nertan Prifti, believes that the joint organization of the U-21 European Championship by Serbia and Albania would be positive for both countries. However, he warned that recent incidents in stadiums indicate that tensions and fan passions remain high.

"From a sports perspective, this is something positive for both countries—that we are organizing the final stages of a European Championship, even if it's at the U-21 level, the second tier after the senior national teams. This also generates revenue, but that primarily applies to a normal situation, and we all know the situation is far from normal," Prifti told Kosovo Online.

He added that such an event could foster closer ties between the two countries, but recent incidents have shown that "significant and well-thought-out cooperation" between the two football federations is needed beforehand.

"The federations can activate their mechanisms to reduce tensions, whether by deploying security agents or engaging with ultras fan groups to 'cool heads' on both sides. This is especially necessary after recent incidents. We’ve seen what has happened at some stadiums across Europe, not just in Serbia or Albania. The most recent example is in Bucharest during the Kosovo match, which was interrupted due to anti-Albanian chants. So, the situation is far from ideal," the sports commentator explained.

Prifti emphasized that efforts to reduce tensions need to begin well before the start of the championship, as failing to do so would pose significant security risks.

"This event could undoubtedly help improve relations between the two countries, but strong cooperation between the two federations is needed to reduce or eliminate these tensions, and that must happen before the European Championship begins. If things continue as they are, there is a clear risk of incidents that will not be positive at all and will have nothing to do with sports, either in stadiums or outside them," Prifti stressed.