Mexico City – FIFA’s annual congressin Mexico City voted 141 to 23 on Friday to accept Football Federation of Kosovo’s, FFK, application for membership despite strong opposition from Serbia.

Friday the 13th was no jinx for Kosovo football. The Kosovo Football Federation was admitted as the 210th memberof the world football organization FIFA one week after being voted into the UEFA.

Kosovo’s teams can now take part in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
UEFA is now tasked with defining the integration process into the preliminary competition for the Kosovo teams.

Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaci said,“Europe is too small for our great talents.”
“During our 25-year isolation, we have provided national teams around the world with many of our talents. Starting from today, they will have a place on the Kosovo team,” Thaci added.
Prime Minister Isa Mustafa also expressed his satisfaction at the successful bid.
“Soon we will have other good news. 2016 is our year,” Mustafa said.

Before the vote, Serbian Football Association president Tomoslav Karadzic repeated what he said ten days before, at UEFA’s congress.

“Kosovo is the first case of UEFA giving membershipto a country that is not member of the United Nations,” Karadzic said.

An unveiling of the country’s flag at the announcement that 86% of the members voted for Kosovo’s membership signaled Kosovo’s admission into the global football league.
Last week, UEFA admitted Kosovo as its 55th member.