NYON, Switzerland — Albania and Serbia are set to co-host the European Under-21 Championship, a decision that may contribute to alleviating the longstanding political tensions between the two countries.
On Tuesday, UEFA officially announced that the 2027 tournament would be jointly held by these neighboring nations in the Balkans.
The relationship between Albania and Serbia has been strained historically, particularly following the conflicts in the Balkans during the 1990s. Tensions escalated further in 2008, when Kosovo, which has a majority ethnic Albanian population, declared independence from Serbia. This declaration remains unrecognized by Serbia, which continues to regard Kosovo as central to its national identity.
Both countries have encountered sanctions from UEFA in the past, stemming from incidents involving politically charged disturbances among fans.
One notable event occurred in 2014, when a drone incident during a match between the two nations triggered violent confrontations involving players and supporters.
In spite of this tumultuous background, the soccer federations of Serbia and Albania collaborated last year to organize the upcoming U21 European Championship, which features 16 teams. The tournament, held every two years, requires eight stadiums to accommodate a total of 31 matches.
According to UEFA, the tournament will kick off with the opening match taking place in Serbia, while the final will be hosted in Albania.
