FIFA and UEFA have banned six different football matches from taking place.
International football rivalries are often more complicated than club ones. In club football, you tend to not like your rival because they have a similar post code or a higher trophy count.
In international football, rivalries are more likely to be the result of political tension or genuine historical trauma. In turn, FIFA and UEFA have ensured that six matches don’t take place, as a means of avoiding potential unrest.
Of course, Ukraine and Russia can’t play each other after the latter mounted an illegal invasion of the former in 2021. Vladimir Putin’s Russia also annexed Crimea seven years prior, stirring tensions between the two countries.
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Moreover, the 1998 - 1999 Kosovo war, fought between Yugoslav forces, made up of a contingent of Serbians and Montenegrans, and ethnic Albanian rebels seeking independence, has resulted in three football fixtures being banned from taking place.
The war involved mass atrocities and ethnic cleansing against Albanians, and required NATO to intervene against Yugoslavia, ultimately forcing Serbia to withdraw.
Since the war Kosovo vs Serbia isn’t a fixture than can be sanctioned by UEFA, while Bosnia are also unable to play the former, due to their Serb entity Republika Srpska, who don’t recognise Kosovo’s independence.
Russia, as a close ally to Serbia that refuses to recognise Kosovo independence, is also unable to play Kosovo.
FInally, Gibraltar are not able to take on Spain. The island, a British overseas territory located at the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, has long been the subject of a territorial claim by Spain.
Indeed, back in June Manchester City and Spain star Rodri was charged by UEFA for chanting about Gibraltar while celebrating his nations European Championship win over England.
Rodri sang "Gibraltar es Espanol" (Gibraltar is Spanish) as he took the microphone in front of thousands of fans in Madrid.
Chris Byfield