Albanian soccer aims for positive political message by teaming with Serbia to bid for Under-21 Euro

By GRAHAM DUNBAR and LLAZAR SEMINI
Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) — A tournament co-hosting bid by Albania and Serbia is an unlikely project in European soccer and politics. The Balkan neighbors’ soccer federations have surprisingly teamed up to try to persuade UEFA to award them the men’s Under-21 European Championship. A UEFA vote on hosting the 16-team tournament in 2027 is due in December. The Albania-Serbia plan is competing with Belgium and Turkey. Historic tensions between the Balkan neighbors increased over neighboring Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008. It is also just 10 years since a chaotic Serbia-Albania game in Belgrade was abandoned over a drone flying a nationalist flag.