Football
Associated Press 8y

UEFA keeps Kosovo and Bosnia apart for World Cup qualifying

UEFA has placed Kosovo in World Cup qualifying Group I after ruling that its newest member could not play against Bosnia-Herzegovina for security reasons.

UEFA says Kosovo must go in the originally drawn five-team group that includes Croatia, Ukraine, Iceland, Turkey and Finland.

Kosovo and Gibraltar were both accepted as FIFA members last month and had to be found places in the World Cup qualifying program that kicks off in September.

Gibraltar will join Group H, the only other with five teams -- Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belgium, Greece, Cyprus and Estonia.

UEFA says its emergency panel ruled that Serbian teams should also not play teams from Kosovo in future competitions.

Serbia does not recognize the statehood of Kosovo, its former province which declared independence in 2008.

Earlier on Thursday, UEFA ruled that Kosovo's clubs will have to wait one year before entering the Champions League and Europa League.

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