---
title: "Latvia to be without Jānis Ikaunieks in Albania"
date: 2025-09-07T11:01:50Z
lang: en
author: "Janis Vitols"
canonical: https://balticfootballnews.com/latvia-to-be-without-janis-ikaunieks-in-albania/
categories: ["FIFA World Cup", "Latvia"]
---

# Latvia to be without Jānis Ikaunieks in Albania
![](https://i0.wp.com/balticfootballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/LFF_NI_MD_LVA_SRB_06.09.2025-43.jpg.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1)Photo: LFF

Jānis Ikaunieks.

**The Latvian Football Federation (LFF) has announced that Jānis Ikaunieks will not travel with the national team to Albania after becoming a father to twin daughters on the night before the match against Serbia.**

Ikaunieks featured in the first half of Latvia’s 0-1 defeat to Serbia but was substituted at halftime. Following the match, his club FC RFS confirmed the joyful news that the forward had welcomed two baby girls into the world.

The LFF also extended their congratulations to Ikaunieks and his family across their official social media channels, while clarifying that he will not join the squad for the upcoming fixture in Tirana.

The Latvian national team departs for Albania today and will face the hosts in the Albanian capital on Tuesday evening.

> 🤝Jānis Ikaunieks mūsu komandai ir ļoti svarīgs, bet šobrīd pasaulē ir vismaz trīs cilvēki, kuriem viņa klātbūtne ir vēl vajadzīgāka.  
>   
> 🥳Apsveicam ar ģimenes pieaugumu un jauno tēva lomu!  
>   
> Uz Albāniju Latvijas izlase dosies bez Jāņa.[#11vilki](https://twitter.com/hashtag/11vilki?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [#LatvijasIzlase](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LatvijasIzlase?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/jPoZnm32mN](https://t.co/jPoZnm32mN)
> 
> — Futbola federācija (@kajbumba) [September 6, 2025](https://twitter.com/kajbumba/status/1964378776281702674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)