Seven Kosovo internationals boycott national team, demand Agim Ademi’s resignation

Seven of Kosovo’s top internationals have announced a collective boycott of the national team, refusing to be available for upcoming Nations League fixtures while Agim Ademi remains president of the Football Federation of Kosovo.

Squad revolt puts coach in impossible position

Coach Franco Foda learned this week that six named players plus the team captain would not take part in the next cycle after a coordinated decision by senior members of the squad. The players publicly declared they will not wear the national shirt until the federation’s leadership changes.

Captain Amir Rrahmani was the first to make his withdrawal known. He was followed by Edon Zhegrova, Florent Muslija, Arijanet Muric, Milot Rashica and Vedat Muriqi. A seventh player was also reported to have joined the action but his identity has not been officially disclosed.

The group released a joint message saying: "We do not want to play as long as Agim Ademi does not leave the position of president of the Football Federation." The statement underlines a longstanding dispute that has now escalated into a full-scale crisis for the national team.

Ademi has not indicated any intention to step down, leaving Foda with a depleted selection ahead of competitive matches in the Nations League and forcing the Football Federation to weigh managerial and institutional options to defuse the standoff.

With the selection gutted of several first-choice starters, Kosovo faces the immediate prospect of fielding much-changed line-ups and of dealing with potential fallout inside the federation and among supporters.

Photo: press material from the event