By Andrew Warshaw
July 18 – Kosovo will have to wait at least until the end of September before it finds out whether it can, after all, play international friendlies.
FIFA’s Executive Committee this week again stopped short of finally giving the green light to the Balkan province to play against established FIFA members, yet another setback after initial hopes were raised back in May.
It is becoming increasingly evident, according to high-ranking FIFA sources, that the Executive Committee was premature when, just before the full FIFA Congress in Istanbul and with the backing of Blatter, Kosovan teams were cleared to play non-competitive fixtures.
Blatter said at the time he hoped the decision would “accelerate” Kosovo’s claim for full membership but significantly, European members either voted against or abstained.
Since then FIFA has backtracked with a swift policy change after Serbia raised fierce objections and UEFA made it clear they could not allow their statutes, which require member countries to have United Nations recognition, from being in any way compromised.
Blatter (pictured above, centre) and FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke (pictured above, right) recently met delegations from both Kosovo and Serbia over the “modalities” of how such matches may be organised and approved and a decision has now been further delayed.
“Both parties are coming near and nearer together to find a solution,” said Blatter following this week’s Executive Committee meeting in Zurich.
Somewhat spuriously, however, he cited the fact that Serbia will soon have a new Government as one of the reasons for the delay in giving Kosovo the thumbs up, especially since FIFA are against Governments getting involved in football administration.
“As they will have a new Government in Serbia by the end of this month we have decided to postpone the decision of modalities until the next ordinary meeting of the Executive Committee on September 27 and 28,” Blatter said.
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