Alberto Toro
BANNED
MATCHES
UEFA and FIFA have an official list of games that cannot be held.
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International soccer is often used to bring nations together and portray an image of fraternity, but sometimes achieving this is simply unattainable.
The two highest governing bodies of this sport, FIFA and UEFA, maintain a list of ten teams involved in matches that cannot be played.
The most recent match that has been prevented from taking place is the one between Russia and Ukraine, giving the conflict between the two nations.
Furthermore, the Russian national team was excluded from the 2022 World Cup and qualifiers for upcoming UEFA and FIFA tournaments.
Spain is another on the list with games against Gibraltar prohibited due to conflicts with the United Kingdom over the territory.
Both countries were drawn against each other for the qualification phase of the 2024 European Championship, but the draw was then redone.
Armenia vs Azerbaijan is also banned. Both are former Soviet regions and continue to be in dispute over the sovereignty of territories.
The most prominently mentioned country on this list is Kosovo. They are prohibited from facing Serbia, Russia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The conflict with Serbia stems from the nation's non-recognition of Kosovo's territory. They lay claim to it, attributing it to their country's history.
As a knock-out result of this, Kosovo is unable to face Bosnia or Russia. Both countries support Serbia in the territorial dispute.