Uefa has imposed a 3-0 defeat on Kosovo for their decision to leave the field during Friday night's Nations League match against Romania in Bucharest, which was subsequently abandoned. Kosovo walked off the pitch during second-half stoppage time after hearing chants of 'Serbia' from the home crowd. The match was suspended when it became clear that Kosovo would not return to the field. Uefa ruled that Kosovo effectively forfeited the game, a decision that has garnered significant attention due to ongoing issues related to Serbia-related chanting in European stadiums.

Although Romania was awarded the win, ensuring a perfect record in Group C2, they were also fined a total of approximately €128,000 (£107,000). More severely, they will play their next home match without spectators after Uefa found their fans guilty of xenophobic chants against Hungary during the match. An additional €30,000 fine was imposed for broadcasting pro-Serbia messages.

Kosovo's decision to walk off the field is believed to have been initiated by the team itself, rather than the Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK). Following the match, the FFK condemned the 'racist provocations and behavior' from the crowd, alleging that chants of 'Kosovo is Serbia' were also heard. The FFK had previously warned Uefa about the possibility of such incidents. The FFK filed a complaint with Uefa, and its president, Agim Ademi, hinted at the possibility of appealing any punishment at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, although this is not guaranteed.

The Romanian Football Federation accused Kosovo of a premeditated decision to leave the pitch, claiming that the visiting players had acted provocatively. Romania was also fined for a series of additional crowd offenses, including throwing objects, lighting fireworks, using a laser pointer, causing a disturbance during the national anthems, and blocking public passageways. Romania received a warning for 'the improper conduct of its team,' while Kosovo was fined €6,000 for the same reason.

Last year, Romania was fined by Uefa for pro-Serbia chanting and displaying a banner reading 'Kosovo is Serbia' by supporters during a Euro 2024 qualifier at the same venue. In a separate incident last month, Uefa fined Kosovo €61,000 for fan misconduct during their Nations League tie against Romania in Pristina. Uefa operates a three-step procedure for potentially abandoning games marred by racism, but this does not apply to chants that may be considered political in nature. This complex issue continues to pose challenges for football, as evidenced by several incidents involving Balkan nations and pro-Serbia chanting during Euro 2024, particularly in the context of Serbia's claim to sovereignty over Kosovo.

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