<p>PRISTINA, Kosovo — Kosovo’s soccer federation said Wednesday its Spanish counterpart has expressed regret for referring to the Balkan country as a “territory” and promised to host an upcoming World Cup qualifier between the teams in accordance with all UEFA rules. </p>
<p>The Kosovo federation had earlier warned that it wouldn’t play the March 31 game in Seville unless Spain pledged to respect the Balkan country’s sovereignty, including its anthem and flag. </p>
<p>Spain does not recognize Kosovo’s 2008 independence from Serbia. </p>
<p>Agim Ademi, head of the Kosovo federation, said in a statement that he had a phone call on Wednesday with Spanish federation officials who promised that the game “will be held in line with the FIFA and UEFA rules and protocol." </p>
<p>Ademi said UEFA officials also gave the same assurances. </p>
<p>The federation had taken issue with the Spanish national team’s references, in a press release and on Twitter, to Kosovo as a “territory,” calling them “unacceptable.” </p>
<p>Kosovo and Spain are in Group B together with Sweden, Greece and Georgia. Greece and Georgia also do not recognize Kosovo as an independent nation. </p>
<p>Two years ago, Spain’s refusal to respect the flag and anthem of Kosovo forced UEFA to move qualifying games in soccer’s under-17 European Championship.</p>
<p>Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a decade after a brutal 1998-1999 war between separatist ethnic Albanian rebels and Serb forces ended following a 78-day NATO air campaign that drove Serb troops out and a peacekeeping force moved in.</p>
<p>Most Western nations have recognized Kosovo’s independence, and the country became a UEFA and FIFA member in 2016.</p>
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