On this day in 2014 a historic moment took place in the football world as the newly-formed nation of Kosova took the field for the very first time in an official match, against the Haitian team. Following Kosova’s declaration of independence the country applied for FIFA membership in 2008, but was initially rejected. It wasn’t until March 2014 that the national team was allowed to play its first international friendly game. The match against Haiti was met with great excitement and anticipation among the Kosovar people, with thousands of fans packing the Adem Jashari stadium in Mitrovica to cheer on the national team. Despite ending in a 0-0 draw, the match was seen as a successful first step for the Kosova national team, as the team showed they were capable of competing at a high level.

Since that historic match in 2014, the Kosova national team has continued to make progress on the international stage, gaining FIFA membership in 2016 and making its debut in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification. The team’s success has been achieved by a combination of young and experienced players, based both locally and abroad, playing together and building strategy. Overall, while the first official match of the Kosova national team may have ended in a draw, it represented the beginning of a journey for the country and the team, which as of 2022 ranked at 107 globally.