LATER TONIGHT, KOSOVO will play their very first World Cup qualifier against Finland.
But their preparations have been chaotic due to Fifa informing the Balkan territory in the last few days that they needed to confirm the eligibility of six players.
The complicated situation revolved around squad members who had previously represented other nations, in spite of being born in Kosovo, having Kosovan heritage or not being a Kosovan national prior to being admitted as a member of Fifa.
The Kosovo delegation were informed by football’s governing body that their final decision would not take place until 3pm today.
So, inevitably, it led to a farcical set of circumstances whereby the team’s manager, Albert Bunjaki, couldn’t select his side until hours before kicking off their biggest ever game.
Even the Finland coach, Hans Backe, referred to it all as ‘a total disaster from Fifa’, who accepted Kosovo as a member in May.
Yet, it’s taken them this long to sort out the administrative issues.
Only in the last hour have all six players been cleared to feature tonight – a relief for everyone involved with the group but ann unwanted and unnecessary distraction on the eve of an historic occasion.
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