TIRANA, Albania (AP) — The roar of the crowd or the thrill of the game are hallmarks of international soccer. But when Albania and Serbia meet Saturday in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, the energy will be different.

The match in Tirana isn’t just about three points as echoes of past confrontations are impossible to ignore. It’s a clash deeply rooted in national identities that organizers are fighting hard to put aside.

It is one of the most politically charged and emotionally intense rivalries in European football, rooted in deep historical and ethnic tensions, especially relating to the Kosovo conflict and broader Balkan history.

Serbia and Albania are in the same European qualifying group — alongside England, Latvia and Andorra.

The last time they met on Albanian soil was in 2015, whe

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