Kosovo, Gibraltar new FIFA members

Kosovo and Gibraltar became the 210th and 211th members of the world football organization in votes taken at FIFA’s annual congress in Mexico City. 

The Serbian football federation’s vice president vowed to legally challenge the decision even before the congress voted 141-23 to admit Kosovo. “I sincerely and warmly thank you for this decision,” Kosovo football federation president Fadil Vokrri told the congress. “In a region still ravaged by the horrors of history, football will give a better life to communities of Kosovo.” 

The decision to admit Kosovo raises the question of whether players born in the former Serbian province, such as Swiss star Xherdan Shaqiri, will be allowed to switch to the Kosovar team.

Normally, a player with dual nationality who has played for one national team cannot switch back to his second country. FIFA says that in the case of Kosovo, it will look at individuals on a case-by-case basis.