Getting angry at the wrong flag
A Ukrainian fan drew the ire of his hosts, even though they’d probably agree with his intentions.
When footballers have the wrong passport
Cuba’s national team lost the chance to qualify for the Gold Cup because they could not get their U.S. visas on time.
Macedonian debut marred by an Austrian’s racist tirade
Tensions between Serbia and Albania surfaced in a game – and a tournament – which involved neither of them.
Nationalism, fashion and football: Ukraine’s new shirt
UEFA found itself (again) in the middle of a political spat between Ukraine and Russia.
That Egypt-Israel match that never happened
Now that football has returned to our lives, we take a look at a match that was cancelled during the pandemic — for reasons that had nothing to do with the virus.
If he scores another few, the world could be a better place
Researchers suggest that a footballer’s on-pitch success in England could lead to a sharp decline in hate crime. This is an opportunity for clubs to make a real difference.
Choosing between hospitals, schools and stadiums
As a Paraguayan legend came out to condemn his nation’s bid for the World Cup, a few words about the last two cups played in South America.
A narrow escape, a triumph and two tragedies
The night when football held its breath in shock, but also remembered why it is the beautiful game.
Caught between club and country
Two Iranian footballers faced punishment by their football federation over playing in a Europa League tie against the ‘enemy.’
Banners, fireworks, and fines
Our monthly round-up of fan violence, racist behaviour and illicit banners that drew UEFA’s attention features Legia, Hajduk, and Partizan. Every month Nations and Balls will provide you with a review of matches that led to fines and stadium bans by UEFA’s disciplinary committee. Our first edition coincides with the qualification rounds for Europe’s club football competitions and predictably has […]
