On 13 May 2026, Kosovo celebrate their 10th year as a FIFA Member Association (MA). Alongside Gibraltar, they remain one of the most recent additions to world football’s governing body. A decade on, Kosovo’s footballing growth has been remarkable, reflected in consistent progress in both the men’s and women’s FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings. And the upward trajectory shows no sign of slowing down. Named the Best Mover of 2025, the men’s national team recently climbed another two places to reach a record-high 78th position. The women’s side, ranked 80th, have matched that momentum, also reaching their highest ranking after an 11-place rise – the biggest jump in the April rankings.

“All of this is the result of the hard work and dedication of everyone representing our country – from president Agim Ademi, to the coaching staff led by Franco Foda, the players and our supporters, the Dardans, who are our greatest source of motivation and patriotism,” Kosovo defender Dion Gallapeni told Inside FIFA.

At 21, Gallapeni perfectly embodies the progress made by Kosovo and the talent emerging from the country. Unlike many of his international teammates, who grew up abroad as part of the diaspora shaped by the conflict of the late 1990s, Gallapeni was born, raised and developed in Kosovo itself. After coming through the ranks at Winner Prizren, he joined Kosovo’s most successful club, FC Prishtina, in 2023 before moving abroad for the first time, joining Polish side Wisła Płock, where he still plays today.

“I can proudly say I know the Kosovo league very well because I played there until 2025. The level has always been good and has continued to improve since we joined FIFA and UEFA,” he explained. “The domestic league has made significant progress, particularly through major infrastructure improvements and a consistent rise in the quality of play. Today, many players developed in Kosovo are playing in Europe’s top leagues  – and I’m one of them.” FIFA has played an important role in Kosovo’s progress. Through the FIFA Forward Programme, USD 4,613,689 was allocated to support the introduction of VAR in the Kosovo Super League, fund the installation of six artificial pitches for clubs and contribute to the modernisation of the Hajvalia Stadium, now integrated into the Football Federation of Kosovo’s national technical centre.

The FIFA Talent Development Scheme has also supported the federation, including a USD 50,000 grant to organise a women’s U-15 competition in 2024  as part of a wider strategy to increase opportunities for girls in football. That same year, the Football for Schools programme was launched in Kosovo.

“Football is booming in Kosovo. The support from FIFA through its programmes has clearly contributed to improving infrastructure, developing education and creating more opportunities for children and young people, both girls and boys,” Gallapeni continued.

“Today, everyone in Kosovo has the opportunity to play. A good example is amputee football, which has developed significantly in the country. Everyone in our sport is treated equally, regardless of gender or disability. We say, ‘the heart is more important than the body’ – and here we play with our hearts.” Driven by the passion of an entire nation, Kosovo also came close to a historic achievement. The Dardanët narrowly missed out on qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, losing to Türkiye in the play-offs. Yet given the determination shown by the team and the scale of Kosovo’s progress in just 10 years, a first World Cup qualification now appears less a dream than a matter of time.