Serbia charged by FIFA for team, fans conduct at World Cup

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — FIFA introduced disciplinary costs towards Serbia on Monday for alleged misconduct by gamers and followers together with offensive chants at a World Cup match towards Switzerland.

Tensions flared within the stands and on the sphere in a rematch of their stormy recreation on the 2018 World Cup that revived ethnic Balkan rivalries.

Switzerland was captained by Granit Xhaka in Friday’s match, and Xherdan Shaqiri scored the opening aim in a 3-2 win that eradicated Serbia. Both Swiss gamers have ethnic Albanian roots and household ties to Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Serbia doesn’t acknowledge Kosovo’s sovereignty.

FIFA didn’t specify which incidents at Stadium 974 led to costs regarding “misconduct of players and officials,” discrimination and “misconduct of players and officials.”

Anti-Kosovo chants have been heard from the part of Serbia followers, who focused Shaqiri with verbal abuse within the first half.

Several Serbia gamers within the dugout encroached on the sphere within the second half when the referee didn’t use video overview to check a declare for a penalty kick.

FIFA, world soccer’s governing physique, gave no timetable for the disciplinary case. Any punishments might apply when Serbia subsequent performs aggressive video games in March in a European Championship qualifying group.