CAS puts an end to the Romania – Kosovo abandoned match case

In mid-November, the UEFA Nations League clash between Romania and Kosovo was left unfinished after the Kosovan side walked off the pitch in response to racist chants from the home fans. UEFA handed Kosovo a technical defeat, prompting the team to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which has now delivered its verdict.

Details: CAS upheld UEFA's decision to award Kosovo a technical loss, as stated in the body’s official press release. The court explained that although the chants were unacceptable and warranted punishment from UEFA, they did not justify abandoning the match.

The final decision to halt a match lies with the referee, who instructed both teams to return to the field—a directive the Kosovan players refused to follow. As a result, Kosovo was deemed responsible for not completing the fixture, making UEFA’s ruling fair and justified.

Reminder: The Romanian national team was also punished, receiving fines totalling €128,000 for various infractions and being ordered to play one home match behind closed doors.