Kosovo fans boo ‘Israeli’ national anthem as players lower their heads

• Spectators continued booing whenever ‘Israeli’ players touched the ball.
• The scenes recall similar protests during the teams' Nov. 2023 meeting in Pristina.
• UEFA previously opened disciplinary proceedings following disturbances during the 2023 fixture.

Kosovo supporters booed and whistled during the ‘Israeli’ national anthem ahead of the national teams' UEFA Nations League encounter in Pristina on Saturday, Nov. 14, with jeers continuing whenever an ‘Israeli’ player touched the ball.

Footage from the pre-match ceremony showed sections of the crowd loudly booing as ‘Israel's’ national anthem, Hatikvah, was played. Several Kosovo players appeared to bow their heads during the anthem, while the stadium atmosphere remained hostile towards the visiting team.

The crowd continued to whistle and boo throughout the match, particularly when ‘Israeli’ players were in possession of the ball, turning the fixture into another display of public opposition to Israel at an international sporting event.

The scenes come amid widespread public opposition to ‘Israel's’ military campaign in Gaza, which has drawn protests and calls for sporting and cultural boycotts internationally.

The latest incident also echoes a previous encounter between the two national teams in Pristina on Nov. 12, 2023, when Kosovo supporters similarly whistled and booed during ‘Israel's’ national anthem. That match, which had originally been scheduled for Oct. 15 but was postponed following the outbreak of the Gaza war, was played under heightened security measures, with thousands of police officers deployed around the stadium.

Kosovo fans booed and whistled during israel’s national anthem. The crowd has continued to boo every time an israeli player touches the ball. 🇽🇰💙 https://t.co/6rwpRHnZYc

— Kosovo Football 🇽🇰 (@kosovarfootball) November 14, 2026