The President of the Football Association, Armand Duka, was a guest on the sports show “Favorit” on “T7” television, where he spoke about a range of important topics related to football in Albania and Kosovo.
In his interview, President Duka commented on the developments at the recent UEFA Congress held in Serbia, highlighting the historic significance of the Kosovo flag being displayed in Belgrade for the first time. He invited everyone to view this as a positive step, made possible through football.
Among other topics, the head of Albanian football also spoke about Etnik Brruti’s transition to the Albanian National Team, the strong relationship between the AFA and the FFK, as well as the qualifying matches and the chances of Albania and Kosovo making it to the 2026 World Cup.
President Duka also commented on the incident involving the Tërnoci club, the playing of the song “Mora Fjalë” in the stadium, the current state of sports infrastructure, as well as plans for the construction of new stadiums in Albania.
Below is the full interview of President Duka for the show “Favorit”:
The UEFA Congress? – This is truly a sensitive issue, and I will try to inform you and share my opinion on the matter. Let me tell you what happened at the UEFA Congress in Belgrade, where the Albanian delegation, the delegation of the Football Association of Kosovo, and all other associations participated.
Everything was normal, and when we entered the congress hall the night before, where an official reception is held on the occasion of the Congress, all the flags of the participating countries were displayed, including the flag of Kosovo.
At that moment, while we were together, the Albanian delegation and the delegation of the Kosovo Association , led by Agim Ademi, we recorded a video of all the flags, Albanian and Kosovar, and we shared it ourselves.
After that, everything continued normally, including the official dinner, and the next day the congress itself, where once again everything was in order, with the flags and symbols of all countries displayed on the tables of the congress participants. That was, in a way, the information.
Then, perhaps the management of that situation wasn’t strategically the best, because we published that video. We didn’t publish it to provoke anyone in Serbia, nor to appear triumphant, but rather to present it as an example of progress, so that no one would think that the flags of countries are displayed without the approval of Serbian authorities. This was a positive step, showing that the Serbian authorities, de facto, accept the flag of Kosovo on their territory and in an official international event.
This is something to be commended, as it was a positive development. It is believed, and it’s good, that Kosovo gains as much recognition as possible, and recognition from Serbia would be an even more significant step forward.
Then, after we published the video, there was a certain backlash from groups that we didn’t actually witness ourselves, since we were inside the hotel or in the congress hall. But I saw in a video the next day that some groups had burned the flag of Kosovo. I don’t know whether it happened near the hotel or not, let’s just say extremist groups, no more than 4 or 5 people from what I saw in the video, burned the Kosovo flag either near the hotel or somewhere else, I can’t say for sure.
From a protocol standpoint, everything had been properly prepared for them, and I personally saw it as a positive development. I saw it the way I just explained: that the flag of Kosovo, for the first time, was displayed in Belgrade. And it truly brought me a different kind of satisfaction, being part of football, part of UEFA, and part of both the Albanian and Kosovar associations, that this moment was made possible by football. That was the purpose of sharing the video, without any intention of provoking anyone.
The flag incident? – I would’ve been glad if we had all commented on it in this way, as a positive development, and not focused on turning it into something negative. I believe this serves us well. As I said, our main mission is football. Football is so important, so powerful, that it even impacts social developments, and at times, political ones too. When these developments are positive, I believe we should speak about them positively.
When I entered the congress, the flag of Kosovo was on the table. I sat at the congress podium, and then I didn’t notice the moment when the flag might have been removed or not, let’s say the flag from the display. As I mentioned, I saw the national flag of Kosovo at the entrance of the congress hall, and we filmed it.
UEFA has respected the protocols and is obligated to do so, not because it’s giving Kosovo any special treatment, but because it has a duty to treat all its members equally. UEFA is the one that has, in fact, supported the development of football in Kosovo. It accepted Kosovo through the vote of its members, or at least a significant number of them, thanks to our joint lobbying efforts. And Kosovo’s admission into UEFA was a positive step, not only for football development but also for the broader impact it may have on Kosovo’s international recognition. So UEFA has simply followed its own protocols.
There was no sort of confrontation because the congress began with the flag already in place. Of course, there was some backlash from extremists, perhaps outside the hotel, these are things I mostly saw in the media and on social networks, as I didn’t personally witness any of it. There was some concern, whether from the Serbian Association or the authorities, likely because they felt somewhat threatened by these extremist groups in Belgrade.
I don’t understand why there’s this information gap, and I don’t see why people aren’t seeing it the way I do, that what truly matters is that the flag of Kosovo was placed in Belgrade for the first time. It was de facto accepted by Belgrade, and it was put there by the Football Association of Kosovo and the European football institution that is UEFA. It’s the same UEFA that, as I’ve said, supported Kosovo then, continues to support it now, and will keep supporting its football development, building bridges of connection, communication, and progress for all its member associations.
Everyone has the right to express their opinion, but I invite everyone to see this as a positive development. All of you are free to share your views, you all have the right to your opinions, and I neither have the authority nor the right to ask you to change them. I have my own opinion. The flag of Kosovo, Albania, and all other member countries was present in the congress hall when we entered. And if it was moved during the course of the congress or at the end, as I said earlier, I did not witness that, because I was on the podium leading the congress. If it was removed or if there was any injustice toward the Kosovo Association, that’s something that should be known first, then commented on.
Honestly, I don’t know how much our conversation is contributing positively to this matter, but let me ask you a question as well. Do you personally see the placement of the flag of the state of Kosovo in Belgrade as a positive or a negative development? I believe we should focus on the positive side of this issue. It’s not easy, because all those who try to play the nationalist, whether in Albania or Kosovo, haven’t managed to achieve anything like this. They haven’t managed to place even a single symbol of Kosovo in Belgrade. Yet they criticize something that isn’t easy at all, to place the flag of a state that has had a relatively recent conflict and is still not recognized by Serbia. So let’s view this as a positive step forward.
President Aleksander Čeferin? – I believe you’ve heard President Čeferin’s speech, and you’ve heard his position on the entire development and mission of football, the mission that he carries out through the game and its impact on social life. He gave the example of the development of the U-21 European Championship, hosted by both Albania and Serbia, to illustrate this.
The transfer of the player Etnik Brruti from Kosovo to Albania? – I believe you’ve received all the answers and clarifications, but it’s actually appropriate for me to also provide an answer, since we’re communicating here together. I’ve said this many times and I’ll reiterate it: the policy of the Albanian Football Association , at least for two decades, has been one of open doors for any Albanian who wants to contribute to the Albanian national team. The same policy applied to Etnik Brruti and to all others. And undoubtedly, we want, at least as the first choice, for them to play for either Kosovo or Albania, not another national team. The boy is talented, he actually started playing football with the Albanian national teams, then decided to continue with the Kosovo national teams, and later came back to Albania. We never told him, neither when he went to Kosovo, “why did you leave?”, nor when he returned to Albania, did we close the door on him.
So, we will keep the door open for any player who wants to serve the Albanian national team. I think, as you said, there’s part of the opinion that supports this thought or decision of the players. There’s also part of the opinion that opposes it, more from a sporting perspective, and in my opinion, they are right, because from a sporting standpoint, the Kosovo team may be affected. But our policy has been, is, and will continue to be the same: open doors for anyone who wants to contribute to the Albanian national team.
Personally, and for all of public opinion, we don’t have to attack players who choose to play for the Swiss national team, where we’ve treated them as heroes when they played, excuse me, for Switzerland, Germany, or Italy. When they come to play for Albania, we shouldn’t call them traitors.
The relationship between FFK and AFA?– I have never wanted to emphasize or reiterate the entire relationship or the contribution we might have, the joint contribution to the development of football in Kosovo and Albania. But it is true that there is no gentlemen’s agreements, there is a spiritual agreement and a mutual obligation to cooperate, to be together, because we are one nation. And this kind of cooperation began very early on. It started before Kosovo became a member of UEFA and FIFA, in all the ways and opportunities that the Football Association had to support it, not because we are better or bigger, but because the AFA was a member of UEFA and FIFA and had more opportunities. These opportunities were used generously to support the Kosovo Football Association.
It has been used generously to lobby for its membership in UEFA and FIFA, and today we see this membership as a decisive step. We are witnesses to the fantastic development it has brought to football in Kosovo. It has been, therefore, a very significant factor. Not only before Kosovo became a member of UEFA and FIFA but also after its membership, we have continued to cooperate.
Coaches have been trained in Albania, ranging from Level C licenses to Pro, over 250 coaches, and they continue to be trained every day. There is always a special quota for Kosovo within the Albanian Football Association. Referees have also been trained. We have had collaborations and assistance in the proper management, let’s say, VAR training for Kosovo, which was conducted in Albania and continues to be so. Why not, we have also gained experience from the Kosovo Football Association, and together we have moved forward.
Therefore, our policy is always that we are together and will continue to be together. This relationship is not affected by a football player, whether it’s Etnik Brruti, or Armend Dallku who was once in Albania, or Debatik Curri. These are real values in Albanian football. We do not need to jeopardize all our relationships because of the movement or desire of a single player.
We have not jeopardized our relationship with Germany because a player went there, nor with Switzerland, and much less will our relationship with the Kosovo Football Association be affected. Whether Duka is president, or anyone else, I am very confident and certain that the relationship will continue to be brotherly.
I have stated clearly and continue to do so, this will be the policy of the Albanian Football Association. It will be open to every Albanian who wants to contribute to the Albanian national team. You may have objections to this kind of policy, but we will not change it.
World Cup Qualifiers? – From the moment the draw was made, it wasn’t a favorable draw for us from a sporting perspective, because we have England, one of the teams that has almost never made a false step in the qualifiers. In fact, in recent years, they’ve completed their qualifying campaigns with perfect points. So, it’s really a strong team. Then, Serbia is a team with many great elements, but maybe not a compact team. So, it’s not an easy group, but still, we started with the aim of reaching the World Cup and we’ll continue with that mindset.
We did lose the first match, but it’s not a disappointment. We won the second match, which on paper is a modest opponent, but when you don’t get the result, it becomes difficult, as our past experiences have shown. Andorra drew with us in 2019 in Tirana 2-2. It seems like an obstacle overcome easily now, but we will continue to face tough challenges.
All our matchups will be difficult, the one against Serbia on June 7, against Latvia on June 10, and continuing further in Serbia, in Albania against Latvia, or in Andorra and against England. Every match will be hard. We know it’s a difficult journey, but we will aim high, we will dream.
The World Cup is always harder than the European Championship, because only 16 teams qualify. Only the top teams qualify, and the second-place teams play in the play-offs. I believe the real objective for us, what we should aim for more, is to qualify for the World Cup through the play-offs. But it’s known that in football, many things need to align, and I hope they do. Even what you said in your last sentence: “Will you go to the World Cup?” or “We will go to the World Cup?”. If we say we will go to the World Cup, the path will be easier.
Kosovo’s chances for the World Cup? – Kosovo indeed has a balanced group, similar to the one Albania had in the Nations League, which finished last with 7 points, where 7 points were not even enough when combined across the other three groups. From the teams at the bottom and those that climbed higher, they had equal points, and Kosovo finds itself in the same situation. It could reach first place in the group with Sweden, Switzerland, and Slovenia, but it could also end up in last place.
There has to be luck, and the players need to be in optimal condition during the matchups. Kosovo started well, despite the fact that these March matches were play-offs for the Nations League, but with very convincing results and truly beautiful games, both here and in Spain against Iceland. Now, I hope that they really have all the players at their disposal, in the best form possible, with maximum support, and that they will achieve positive results. As I said, for me, it is a balanced group. Kosovo could finish first in the group, but God forbid, it could also finish last, because the group is that balanced.
The two matches between Albania and Serbia? – We have experience in organizing matches with Serbia in Tirana. Undoubtedly, there were heightened security measures, and it was considered a high-risk match for obvious reasons, but we successfully organized it without major incidents. There was, in fact, a stone-throwing incident against the Serbian football team’s bus upon entering Tirana, and that was the only incident, which it would have been better if it hadn’t occurred. I am confident that we will organize it well again.
I trust the organizers, who are the AFA. I have confidence in the people who will come to the stadium stands. I believe that we are truly more civilized, and we know how to separate sports from politics, we know how to keep sports emotions within the realm of sports, and the real help we can give to the team is to support them in a sporting manner, to experience it as a football match. Our victory is to win the result on the field, to earn three points, and move forward.
Without a doubt, I have great confidence in the Albanian State Police, who will assist us in organizing it very well. On the other hand, in Serbia, the experiences have been negative. It seems to me that they have much more hooliganism, whereas we do not.
They are less organized than we are, even from a state security perspective. I hope they have learned from that previous match and do everything right. It is very important for both the Serbian players and the supporters to be aware that this is a football match, and to experience it as a football match, as a sporting celebration.
Has it been determined where the Serbia – Albania match will be played? – No, it has not been determined yet. There are deadlines for determining the stadium where the match will be held, and they are still within those deadlines. They have not yet informed us as an Association, nor UEFA, about where the qualifying match in October will be played.
The two matches precede the joint organization for the 2027 U-21 European Championship. Do you believe everything will go according to plan, that everything will go well? – I believe it is in everyone’s interest that everything goes well. I have great confidence in the experience we have in organizing such events. I have a lot of faith in all the factors within the country that will support it, because, after all, from the moment we applied for such an edition, for such an important championship, we had the support of all public and state institutions in Albania. With this kind of joint mobilization, I am very confident that we will manage to organize this truly historic event for Albanian football in the best possible way.
The incident with the Tërnoci club? – In fact, I saw it when it happened because I was informed by journalists from the region about the incident that occurred in that match. I don’t have detailed information, but I have seen the club’s statements regarding this incident. I don’t know the specifics of why or what caused it, but in any case, it is unforgivable for athletes to be harmed, whether on the field or in the locker rooms, by anyone, be it the police or anyone else.
I don’t believe there were any objective reasons for this to happen, but I don’t have the necessary information. As I said earlier, everyone needs to understand that this is a beautiful game, played by everyone, and it should carry messages of peace. It should create communication bridges, even though within a country like Serbia, two teams with players of different nationalities, primarily Albanians, were faced. It is a football match that should serve to communicate better, to unite, and to build a better future.
So, this is in a way my message. Moreover, I have sent a letter to the Serbian Football Association and UEFA, to gather more information and to know what we should do so that such events do not harm the game, football, the players, or anything else related to the sport. As I told you, I have sent a letter to the Serbian Association, and we have also informed UEFA, to gather more information, and I have asked them to distance themselves from incidents in football.
Ticketing policy for national team matches? – We have established our policies as organizers for distributing tickets, and we have adhered to them. We have publicly declared that we have installed digital computer systems for distributing or selling tickets, which allow each individual to book no more than four tickets, and this has been respected. No one has been denied their rights, nor has anyone been given special privileges.
The discussion here is that the Kuq e Zi fan group, or any other group, wants reserved tickets provided by the Association, because this was really the previous tradition of how things were done. We believe it is better for everyone to have equal opportunities, considering the growing demand to support the national team in the stadium, and we do not deny anyone the right to purchase tickets, even if they are from the fan group that insulted and cursed in the stadium during the match against Andorra. For which, because they did not only insult and curse the president of the association but also made nationalist calls, which provoke hatred or incite, we are still in a disciplinary process regarding these events.
Once again, I believe that we do not deny anyone their right, but we give equal opportunities to everyone who wants to support the Albanian national team. Referring to the last match, as I said, the group in the stadium bought tickets to enter, because without purchasing tickets, they could not have entered.
The issue with the song “Mora Fjalë” in the stadium? – You create the arguments yourself, give your opinions on those arguments that you have constructed. You make them and undo them yourself. We neither remove nor create songs. In the end, what made that song more popular was the Albanian national team, and since we made it so popular, we were the ones who censored it. These are foolish things, I don’t know who invents them, and I don’t know who is interested in them, like this foolishness, there are also other foolish things. I don’t know who is interested in us saying that Kosovo and Albania, that we should say the Albanian Football Association and the Kosovo Football Association . I don’t know who is interested in forcing us to have such “spikes” like the removal of the song. We promoted that song, we made it a hit, for all Albanians, inside and outside of Albania, and you don’t need to turn it into something negative. Let’s look at things positively. You’ve always heard it, and you will hear any song that motivates the players and is loved by the spectators.
Sports infrastructure in Albania, will three new stadiums be built? – We have completed one stadium in Rrogozhinë, where some matches from the final tournament of the 2025 UEFA European U-17 Championship will be played, and we have a project for the construction of six other stadiums in Durrës, Vlorë, Korçë, Vorë, Kavajë, and in Tirana, at the “Selman Stërmasi” stadium. Indeed, infrastructure in Albania has changed a lot, it has changed in stadiums, it has changed in training fields, and these have served the development of football in the country. These are big projects, they are important projects, and mainly we, with very good management of the rights we have as the organizer of football in Albania, through sponsors, marketing, TV rights, advertising, and very strong and substantial support from FIFA and UEFA.
Do you aim to be the president of UEFA, in the near or distant future? – No, I do not have that in my objectives at all. Personally, I am very happy if I serve Albanian football well and continue to serve it with all my abilities, and if my position as Vice President of UEFA serves Albanian football, let it be for even longer. I do not have personal goals to be president. We have the president of UEFA, Aleksander Čeferin, and I strongly support him for the future.
Which European team are you a fan of? – I used to be a Milan fan, maybe also because of the red and black colors, but this kind of club support has faded now because I am focused on the Albanian National Team, and the emotions for the Albanian National Team cannot be compared to any other competition, not just in sports but even outside sports. I remain a sympathizer of Milan, but not a fan.
Who is the best Albanian player at the moment? Broja, Asllani, Zhegrova, Rrahmani, Muriqi, or someone else? – This is a difficult question, all of the players you mentioned are very talented, whether it’s Broja, Zhegrova, whom I really like for his technical level and what he has shown on the field, Rrahmani, who is solid both at Napoli and with the Kosovo National Team, or Asllani, without a doubt. I may have mentioned a few names, but I could also mention many others. We can’t say that one individual is the best, especially in Albania. If we compare our players to those of other national teams, we might not have as many stars as they do, but what we do have is a compact team, and any individual I mention would not overshadow that team cohesion.
Which Kosovo players would you like to have in the Albanian National Team? – Zhegrova is indeed a good player, and if he were part of the team, he would really help the Albanian National Team. Amir Rrahmani, whom we once had and lost, is another player I would like to see. We never questioned why he chose Kosovo, on the contrary, we supported him, and we will continue to support him, as well as a few others who switched from the Albanian National Team to Kosovo. The goalkeeper Murici is also very good, and Muriqi, the striker, there are several very good names.
How do you see the rivalry between Pelé, Maradona, Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo? Who is the best football player in history, in your opinion? – I have a bit of a conflict of interest here, because of my name, Armando, I would choose Maradona. He was truly a great player, and he made a huge impact on football. A great player, for me, is someone who can take a team and make it truly feel great, even if it doesn’t have other qualities. He made Napoli a great team, and he made Argentina a champion, so he’s definitely one of the greatest players. There’s not much of a difference between him and the names you mentioned. Ronaldo is undoubtedly very good, and Messi is also exceptional. Others like Yamal and others coming now also have a lot of promise.
Who is the best player in the world at the moment? – Among those playing today, it’s difficult to choose between Ronaldo and Messi. They have different characteristics, but both are truly great. As for those who promise a lot, Lamine Yamal is one to watch.
