UEFA ruled Wednesday that Kosovo must forfeit a Nations League match against Romania after its players refused to continue during stoppage time due to pro-Serbia chants. The game in Bucharest last Friday was tied 0-0 before the incident.
Romania was awarded a 3-0 victory by default but faced its own sanctions. UEFA ordered Romania to play its first home game of next year’s World Cup qualifiers in an empty stadium, citing “racist” chants by Romanian fans targeting neighboring Hungary.
The default result and Romania's award of three points did not affect the final standings in the teams’ third-tier Nations League group. Even a 3-0 default win for Kosovo, which would have tied both teams at 15 points, would still have left Romania at the top of the standings on the tiebreaker of overall goal difference.
UEFA's verdict Wednesday also impacted Europe’s 2026 World Cup qualifying process. Romania’s new total of 18 points, instead of 16, elevated it above Sweden and North Macedonia in the ranking of Nations League group winners. This positioning could prove crucial next November when entries to the World Cup qualifying playoffs are finalized.
In addition, UEFA fined the Romanian football federation 128,000 euros ($135,000) for a range of offenses, including “xenophobic anti-Hungarian chants,” “provocative political messages unfit for a sports event,” and disruptions during the national anthems.
The state of Romania does not recognize Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia.
The match in Bucharest was suspended during stoppage time and later abandoned following scuffles between players on both sides. Kosovo’s players walked off the pitch in protest.
