The green light has been a long time coming: FIFA initially gave its member countries permission to start playing friendlies against the Kosovo team in 2012.

But this sparked a strong protest from the Football Association of Serbia (FSS), which claimed the decision was made "behind closed doors" and contravened FIFA statutes.

The new announcement emphasised that the move followed a meeting this month at FIFA headquarters between FSS President Tomislav Karadžić and his opposite number at the Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK) Fadil Vokrri, chaired by Sepp Blatter, the FIFA President.

Blatter said the decision "represents a major boost for football development in Kosovo" and "once again confirms the extraordinary power of our sport to bring people together".

Sepp Blatter said the decision was a 'major boost for football development in Kosovo'
©Getty Images





Under the "modalities", which enter into force immediately, FIFA member associations – except clubs and representative teams of countries of the former Yugoslavia - are allowed to play international friendly matches with clubs and representative teams of the FFK.

Teams from Kosovo may not, however, display national symbols or play national anthems; they can wear kit marked "Kosovo", as well as the symbol of a star "of the size of the letter "o" in the name 'Kosovo'".

Friendlies may be played on Kosovan territory, "provided that FIFA is informed in writing at least 21 days before each match"; Kosovan teams may not, however, play official or qualification matches while the FFK is not a member of FIFA.

The Jamaica-sized fragment of the former Yugoslavia declared independence in 2008.

Over the years it has played a handful of what Vokrri once described to me as "semi-clandestine" matches, including a 7-1 win over Monaco in 2006.