Kosovo national futsal team

The Kosovo national futsal team (Albanian: Kombëtarja e futsallit të Kosovës; Serbian: Футсал репрезентација Косова, romanizedFutsal reprezentacija Kosova) represents Kosovo in international men's futsal. It is controlled by the Football Federation of Kosovo, the governing body for football in Kosovo, which also controls futsal.

Kosovo
Nickname(s)Dardanët (Dardanians)
AssociationFootball Federation of Kosovo (FFK)
ConfederationUEFA (Europe)
Head coachArben Simitçiu
Asst coachFazli Berisha
CaptainJeton Rukovci
Home stadiumPalace of Youth and Sports
FIFA codeKVX[a]
FIFA ranking60 Increase 6 (20 December 2023)[3]
Home colours
Away colours
First international
 Finland 1–3 Kosovo 
(Zadar, Croatia; 29 August 2016)
Biggest win
 Kosovo 7–0 Turkey 
(Zadar, Croatia; 31 August 2016)
Biggest defeat
 Ukraine 7–1 Kosovo 
(Skopje, North Macedonia; 24 October 2019)
 Kosovo 1–7 Slovenia 
(Skopje, North Macedonia; 27 October 2019)

History

Permitting by FIFA to play friendlies

On 6 February 2013, FIFA gave the permission to play international friendly games against other member associations.[4] Whereas, on 13 January 2014, there was a change of this permit that forbade Kosovo to play against the national teams of the countries of the former Yugoslavia. Club teams were also allowed to play friendlies and this happened after a FIFA Emergency Committee meeting. However, it was stipulated that clubs and representative teams of the Football Federation of Kosovo may not display national symbols as flags, emblems, etc. or play national anthems. The go-ahead was given after meetings between the Football Association of Serbia and Sepp Blatter.

Membership in UEFA and FIFA

In September 2015 at an UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Malta was approved the request from the federation to the admission in UEFA to the next Ordinary Congress to be held in Budapest.[5] On 3 May 2016, at the Ordinary Congress. Kosovo were accepted into UEFA after members voted 28–24 in favor of Kosovo.[6][7] Ten days later, Kosovo was accepted in FIFA during their 66th congress in Mexico with 141 votes in favour and 23 against.[8]

Competitive record

FIFA Futsal World Cup

On 12 December 2018, in Nyon, it was decided that Kosovo should be part in Group B of the 2020 FIFA Futsal World Cup qualification, together with Andorra, Belarus and Norway.[9] On 30 January 2019, Kosovo made their debut on FIFA Futsal World Cup qualifications with a 5–0 away defeat against Belarus.[10]

FIFA Futsal World Cup recordQualification record
YearRoundPosPldWDLGFGASquadPldWDLGFGA
1989 to 1996Part of  Yugoslavia and  Serbia and Montenegro
2000 to 2012Not a FIFA member
2016Could not enter
2021Did not qualify63031928
2024Did not qualify72141416
Total0/9000000135173344

UEFA Futsal Championship

On 21 October 2016, in Nyon, it was decided that Kosovo should be part in Group E of the UEFA Futsal Euro 2018 qualifying, together with Cyprus, Denmark and Norway.[11] On 30 January 2017, Kosovo made his debut on UEFA Futsal Euro qualifying with a 1–5 away win against Norway that was simultaneously also the first-ever competitive win.[12]

UEFA Futsal Championship recordQualification record
YearRoundPosPldWDLGFGASquadPldWDLGFGA
1996 to 1999Part of  Serbia and Montenegro
2001 to 2016Not a UEFA member
2018Did not qualify320194
20223102916
2026To be determinedTo be determined
Total0/1100000063031820

Non-FIFA Tournament

Kosovo has so far participated in three international tournaments. first at the Futsal Week 2016, an international futsal tournament.[13] In which they won this tournament after beating Finland and Turkey in the Groupstage. They also participated at the 2021 Continental Futsal Championship in Thailand.

TournamentRoundPosPldWDLGFGA
2016 Futsal Week Tournament[14]Champions1st4301177
2021 Continental Futsal ChampionshipGroup stage4th30121014
2023 April Cup Futsal WeekGroup stage3th2011510
Total1 title3/393243231

Fixtures and results

2021

v  Kosovo
25 July 2021 Continental Futsal Championship Uzbekistan  6–3  Kosovo Bangkok, Thailand
15:00 UTC+7Choriev  1'?38'
Rakhmatov  2'
Ropiev  22'
Erkinov  36'
ReportSalihu  6'
Dervishaj  8'17'
Stadium: Show DC Mall
v  Thailand
26 July 2021 Continental Futsal Championship Kosovo  6–6  Thailand Bangkok, Thailand
17:15 UTC+7Salihu  4'
Mazreku  20'23'
Rukovci  31'
Dervishaj  40'40+?
ReportThueanklang  15'36'
Musa  17'
Kaewwilai  32'
Srisubsaeng  36'
Wichian  38'
Stadium: Show DC Mall
v  Mozambique
27 July 2021 Continental Futsal Championship Kosovo  1–2  Mozambique Bangkok, Thailand
15:00 UTC+7Rukovci  40'ReportFrancisco  4'
Jona  20'
Stadium: Show DC Mall

2022

v  Kosovo
8 April 2024 World Cup qualification Bulgaria  0–2  Kosovo Varna, Bulgaria
19:00 (18:00 EEST)ReportMaxharraj  16:48
Salihu  26:17
Stadium: Palace of Culture and Sports
Referee: Dario Pezzuto (Italy)
v  Scotland
9 April 2024 World Cup qualification Kosovo  4–1  Scotland Varna, Bulgaria
16:30 (15:30 EEST)Maxharraj  2:418:2335:11
Hajdini  27:04
ReportSteedman  13:25Stadium: Palace of Culture and Sports
Referee: Georgios Kazakos (Cyprus)
v  Armenia
11 April 2024 World Cup qualification Kosovo  1–2  Armenia Varna, Bulgaria
16:30 (15:30 EEST)Kelmendi  19:20ReportKelmendi  1:03 (o.g.)
Vitinho  7:08
Stadium: Palace of Culture and Sports
Referee: Yiangos Yiangou (Cyprus)
v  Kosovo
18 September 2024 World Cup qualification Netherlands  2–1  Kosovo Rotterdam, Netherlands
19:00Dahmani  34:23
Ben Khalou  35:22
ReportRukovci  39:11Stadium: Topsportcentrum
Referee: Kirill Naishouler (Finland
v  Kosovo
7 October 2024 World Cup qualification Ukraine  3–1  Kosovo Salaspils, Latvia
18:00Cherniavskyi  14:19
Korsun  23:57
Melnyk  26:24
ReportKastrati  1:21Stadium: Salaspils sporta nams
Referee: Šarūnas Tamulynas (Lithuania)
v  Ukraine
9 November 2024 World Cup qualification Kosovo  2–5  Ukraine Pristina, Kosovo
17:00Maxharraj  16:48
Salihu  33:31
ReportCherniavskyi  5:28
Siryi  8:17
Mykytiuk  27:26
Fareniuk  30:55
Lebid  33:06
Stadium: Palace of Youth and Sports
Referee: Dejan Veselič (Slovenia)

2023

v  Netherlands
3 March 2024 World Cup qualification Kosovo  3–3  Netherlands Pristina, Kosovo
17:00Dervishaj  8:3528:52
Alaj  32:17
ReportBen Khalou  30:54
Bouyouzan  38:24
Bouzit  38:51
Stadium: Palace of Youth and Sports
Referee: Martina Piccolo (Italy)
v  Kosovo
14 April April Cup Futsal Week Slovenia  6–1  Kosovo Poreč, Croatia
18:15Bukovec  10'12'
Suban  20'
Berzelak  22'
Hozjan  28'
Totošković  35'
ReportKaçandolli  19'Stadium: Finda Hall
v  Kosovo
15 April April Cup Futsal Week Montenegro  4–4
(4–1 p)
 Kosovo Poreč, Croatia
16:00F. Kastrati  13'32'
Mazreku  34'36'
ReportBulatović  3'
Lolović  17'
Puletić  36' (pen.)38' (pen.)
Stadium: Finda Hall

Players

Current squad

No.Pos. NationPlayer
9FW  KOSDrilon Maxharraj
10DF  KOSJeton Rukovci (captain)
11DF  KOSDriton Nishori
12GK  KOSXhemajl Beqiri
14DF  KOSShefki Kameri
15DF  KOSDurim Qorri
18FW  KOSMusë Murtezi

Kosovo versus other countries

As of 11 April 2022
Head-to-head records are included only matches as FIFA member.
OpponentPldWDLGFGAGDWin %
 Armenia100112−1000.00
 Albania21011110+1050.00
 Andorra110053+2100.00
 Austria110042+2100.00
 Belarus100105−5000.00
 Bulgaria110020+2100.00
 Cyprus110031+2100.00
 Denmark100112−1000.00
 Finland210187+1050.00
 Georgia100116−5000.00
 Germany100148−4000.00
 Mozambique101012−1000.00
 Netherlands201113−2000.00
 North Macedonia31021116−5033.33
 Norway2200102+8100.00
 Scotland110041+3100.00
 Slovenia100117−6000.00
 Thailand101066+0000.00
 Turkey2200100+10100.00
 Ukraine100117−6000.00
 Uzbekistan100163+3000.00
21 Countries28123139193−2042.86

See also

Men's
Women's

Notes and references

Notes

References