Introduction

The case involving FC Ballkani, a three-time champion of Kosovo, and Leonit Abazi, an Albanian-Kosovar footballer, is interesting since it addresses the issue of whether a dispute has an international dimension or not.

The international nature of a dispute is in fact an essential element for FIFA to accept jurisdiction to decide on an employment-related dispute.

Whereas in cases concerning clubs only it is quite intuitive to determine whether the dispute lacks international dimension or not, this is not always the case when the dispute involves a natural person (being this a player or a coach).

As it will be outlined in the following paragraphs, players holding more than one nationality must choose very carefully the nationality used to enter the employment relationship, particularly when this choice can have an impact on FIFA’s jurisdiction to decide on a possible dispute.

Factual...

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