Why playing Kosovo has created a diplomatic conflict

The confrontation between the Spanish National Team and that of Kosovo, a territory not recognized by the Government as a 'state', will create a precedent of political interest that directly affects the sovereign conflict that Spain has been experiencing for years. The fear of the constitutionalist forces is that the independentistas use the party in an interested way to claim their own selections (in the Basque Country and Catalonia, mainly). To clarify the matter, AS has contacted Toni Roca, CEO of Sports Law Institute and the specialized firm in sports law Himnus – Football Lawyers.

“There is the possibility that the party will try to use it as a legal precedent for País Vaso and Catalunya, but You have to clearly differentiate between the political and the sporting aspects, ”says Roca, who understands that playing officially against a team whose federation belongs to FIFA does not imply any type of international recognition.. “There you have the example of Wales and the Faroe Islands, teams that Spain has faced several times and that are not recognized as countries although their federations are in international organizations. For this reason, playing against Kosovo does not imply recognition for political purposes ”.

FIFA regulations oblige Spain to play its two games against Kosovo if it does not want to be severely sanctioned and will have to play in the Balkan territory without being able to ask UEFA for the match to be played in a neutral stadium. In addition, the regulations for qualifying matches for the World Cup oblige the RFEF to wear the symbols of Kosovo (anthem and flag) in the formal ceremony prior to the match.

Finally, there are no bureaucratic problems in the face of the national team's trip to Kosovo when it is their turn to play there. For stays of up to 90 days, players and staff members do not need a visa as long as they meet the following requirements: have the documentation that proves the purpose of the trip (more than justified the dispute of the match), have a passport with a minimum validity of 6 months and at least one blank page and, finally, have the return or continuation flight reservation.