March 26 – England’s World Cup qualifier against Albania in Tirana on Sunday will go ahead after an issue over security was resolved.
On Thursday, the Albanian Football Association (AFA) said it had been told by local police that the safety of the teams could not be guaranteed.
However, a statement has now been issued to say they had “taken all measures to guarantee order and security” for the game.
The local FA had warned of “catastrophic consequences for the image of our country” if the game was called off.
The issue arose after the AFA’s request for a restricted number of fans vaccinated against Covid-19 to be permitted to attend the game, which was rejected by the government.
The match will therefore be played behind closed doors but with no other lockdown measures in place in the country, it meant the area around the stadium could be busy with supporters.
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