FIFA, the organisation that oversees world football, has announced sanctions against the Serbian FA for what happened during the World Cup match between Switzerland and Qatar last month.
In the tournament’s Group G match between the two countries, Switzerland prevailed 3-2 to advance to the knockout rounds. As players collided toward the end of the game, tensions erupted, and Swiss captain Granit Xhaka, who is of Albanian descent, was accused of insulting the opposition.
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Serbia was subject to fines, FIFA said on Friday, as a result of the “misconduct” of its players and supporters during the match at Stadium 974. The Serbian FA must close 25% of the stadium seats for its upcoming official FIFA home game for the men’s squad in addition to paying a fine of 50,000 Swiss francs ($54,000).
A flag that was flown in the team’s locker room during the World Cup portrayed an outline of Kosovo in the colours of the Serbian flag and the phrase “no surrender,” for which FIFA had already fined the Serbian FA 21,000 Swiss francs.
FIFA also confirmed the beginning of disciplinary action against World Cup champions Argentina for their post-victory celebrations in a statement on Friday.
The fans of Mexico and Ecuador were also punished with fines and stadium closures in Qatar for using racial slurs. As a result of their match against Morocco in the third-place playoff, Croatia had disciplinary proceedings launched for possible violations of the FIFA rules against discrimination and order and security.
