The question of whether Albanian soccer fans will be allowed into the stadium in Belgrade, Serbia, for the World Cup qualifier between Serbia and Albania is currently the subject of debate – and remains unanswered.

As reported by the Albanian news portal Koha.net over the weekend, the Albanian Football Association (FSHF) has already submitted an official request to the world governing body FIFA for clarification. However, no response has been received yet.

The mood in Tirana remains subdued. According to Koha.net, observers believe it is highly likely that Albanian fans will be denied access to the Rajko Mitić Stadium. The main reason cited is the tense relationship between the two sets of fans, as well as the still painful memories of the scandalous international match in Belgrade in 2014, which had to be abandoned due to riots and a political row.

Serbia had already decided at that time to ban Albanian spectators from attending the stadium, which led to a diplomatic row after the well-known “drone incident.” Since then, both UEFA and FIFA have kept both nations under close observation when it comes to fan culture and security.

There is also tension in Tirana itself ahead of the return leg. The Albanian ultra group “Tifozat Kuq e Zi” (TKZ), one of the country’s most famous fan groups, has already announced that it will not be able to attend the home game in the capital. According to a report by Koha.net, the reasons for this are discrepancies in ticket allocation and opaque selection processes by the association. Many loyal fans apparently did not receive tickets, even though the game has been sold out for weeks.

According to Serbian media outlets such as the TV station Sportklub.rs, the Serbian Football Association (FSS) has also been sanctioned for past incidents, including nationalist chants and discriminatory behavior at previous games. FIFA has therefore already severely limited the number of guest tickets for Serbian fans for the return match in Albania. Observers assume that a similar restrictive line will also apply to the match in Belgrade – possibly again without a formal explanation, but through a direct order from the local authorities.

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