Misplaced Pages

#891108

66-657: The stadium was demolished in June 2016 to make way for the new national stadium called the Arena Kombëtare , was constructed on the same site and opened in November 2019. The Football Association of Albania and the Albanian government divide the property rights of the stadium between them; the football association holds 75% rights and the government 25%. National Arena , with a capacity of over 22,500 spectators built at

132-542: A Tirana Marriott Hotel . The stadium includes a history museum, changing rooms, and other facilities such as cafeterias, lavatories including access for the disabled, a press area, a convention centre, a trophy room, etc. There is no room for a running track as capacity will grow to over 22,000 seats, all covered. The overall project is part of the Arena Shopping Centre together with the 112-metre tower, 80-room hotel and 256 underground parking spaces. All of

198-433: A cost of € 60 million. The new stadium is football-only; the athletics track was removed. It meets the highest UEFA category . The original stadium was built in an Olympic Stadium shape, as idealized by Gherardo Bosio , a young fascist architect from Florence , Italy . Its planned capacity was 15,000; Tirana at that time had less than 60,000 inhabitants so the stadium would have been more than sufficient. The stadium

264-406: A faceted rectangular stadium bound by a curved line. Such a form of the stadium was associated with the symbolism of the map of Albania which has a similar rectangular shape from north to south with some curved incisions at the northeast, northwest, southeast and southwestern extremes of the country. The external facade is covered with black and red metal panels combining them with the use of glass on

330-525: A provisional government. The complete text of the declaration, composed in Albanian , partially in Gheg , Tosk and Ottoman Turkish , was: In Vlorë on 15/28 of the third Autumn 1328/1912. After the words spoken by Mr. Chairman Ismail Kemal Bey, in which he told of the great danger Albania is in today, all the delegates with one voice decided that Albania today is to be on its own, free and independent. Below

396-474: A provisional government; that a council of elders be elected to assist and supervise the government; and that a commission be sent to Europe to defend Albanian interests among the Great Powers. The delegates unanimously agreed with the words of Ismail Kemal bey and resolved that Albania, as of today, should be on her own, free and independent under a provisional government. The meeting was adjourned until

462-610: A way to cut off the interests of Kingdom of Serbia . Soon after the Declaration of Independence Albania was occupied by the Balkan League member states ( Serbia , Montenegro, and Greece ). The Occupation of Albania (1912–1913) took place during the Balkan Wars . The facade of the building where the independence was proclaimed is depicted on the reverses of the Albanian 200 lekë banknote of 1992–1996, and of

528-722: Is surrounded by other public buildings such as the University of Tirana, the Palace of Congress, the Archaeological Museum, University of Arts, the Presidential palace, etc. For more than 60 years since its construction, Qemal Stafa Stadium served as the main stadium in Albania, the home of the Albania national team, as well as the home of several athletic competitions and other events. After its degradation over

594-565: Is the list of the forty signatories as published by newspaper Perlindja e Shqipëniës . The original act of the Declaration of Independence was written on a single piece of letter. On the front page, there are a total of 34 recognizable signatures and on the back page are found 6 more signatures. Under these circumstances, delegates from all over Albania were gathered in the Assembly of Vlorë (Albanian: Kuvendi i Vlorës ). Ismail Kemal returned to Albania with Austro-Hungarian support and, at

660-605: The Air Albania Stadium ) is an all-seater , multi-purpose football stadium located in the capital city of Tirana which was built on the ground of the former Qemal Stafa Stadium . The stadium has a seating capacity of 22,500 constituting the largest stadium in Albania . The stadium is owned by the governing body of Albanian football, the Albanian Football Association (FSHF) and

726-650: The Assembly of Vlorë formed the first Government of Albania which was led by Ismail Qemali and the Council of Elders (Pleqnia). The success of the Albanian Revolt of 1912 sent a strong signal to the neighboring countries that the Ottoman Empire was weak. The Kingdom of Serbia opposed the plan for an Albanian Vilayet , preferring a partition of the European territory of the Ottoman Empire among

SECTION 10

#1732782343892

792-481: The Assembly of Vlorë , in the presence of hundreds of Albanians. This is a complete list of the 79 registered delegates by region: Just as the overseas communities of Albanians had stimulated the patriotic fervor which gradually led to the independence of their homeland, so at this critical juncture they once again demonstrated their solidarity. On 1 March 1913, they convened an Albanian Congress of Trieste , Austria. There were 119 representatives in all, coming from

858-603: The Liberation of Albania in 1974. One of the stands was extended from 10 to 28 rows, taking the capacity of the stadium to 35,000 (no seats were installed at that time). An electronic display purchased in Hungary was also added. The enlargement of the stadium was celebrated in November 1974, on the occasion of the Third National Spartakiad. After 1991, other modernization projects took place, including

924-724: The Partizani Tirana club and from the Albanian Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports was addressed to the Albanian government for the stadium to be renamed after the famous footballer. During the early 2000s, the stadium was considered a "curse" for other national teams by the Albanian media, partly due to the fact that Albania rarely lost their home games. In a period from September 2001 to October 2004, Albania went undefeated at this ground. Illustrious national teams such as Greece , who had just won Euro 2004, were eclipsed by Albania in 2004, whereas teams like Sweden ,

990-556: The Republic of Ireland , Switzerland , and Bulgaria had to settle for hotly contested draws in an intimidating arena. Before this period, during 1986 World Cup qualifying round , future semi-finalist Belgium lost 2-0 at Qemal Stafa. 41°19′5.93″N 19°49′26.67″E  /  41.3183139°N 19.8240750°E  / 41.3183139; 19.8240750 Arena Komb%C3%ABtare Arena Kombëtare ( pronounced [aˈɾena ˌkɔmbəˈtaɾɛ] ; known for sponsorship reasons as

1056-625: The 100th anniversary of the Albanian Declaration of Independence , which will occur in 2012, a new national stadium will be built in Tirana. The new stadium, already approved by the Albanian Football Association and the government, will replace the existing one which will be demolished. The number of seats is expected to be more than 22,500. The total construction cost will be around € 60 million, and 75% of

1122-462: The Air Albania being announced as the winner with the most favourable bid. The deal stipulates that within the next five years starting from the date of signing, the new stadium name will be "Air Albania Stadium". It was also decided that each tribune would have its own name. The stadium is located near the centre of the capital Tirana . The building built on the side of the stadium includes

1188-608: The Albania national team and the Albanian Superliga teams participating in international competitions risked playing their matches abroad. Soon after, FSHF in cooperation with the new government elected, took steps to finance the reconstruction of the Elbasan Arena stadium to avoid UEFA's penalties, thus giving time for the construction of a new national stadium in Tirana. Efforts were made again in 2015, but this time trying new forms of financing without burdening

1254-581: The Albanian State through Shoqëria Sportive Kuq e Zi Sh.A, a subsidiary established for the purpose of building, managing and maintaining the structure. Designed by Marco Casamonti of Archea Associati, the structure of the stadium is a peculiar multi-faceted form (an 8-faceted rectangle) so that each side allows access to distinct functions. At one corner of the stadium structure is an 112-metre tall tower (24 floors). Each facet accommodates different streams, thus identifying users of private areas, such as

1320-526: The Albanian government put the stadium on a list of assets for sale. During the summer of 2010, there was a disagreement between the Albanian Football Association (FSHF) and the Albanian government as to the disposition of the stadium. FSHF, sponsored by UEFA, proposed that the stadium, rather than being sold, should be totally donated by the government to FSHF, under the condition that the stadium receive UEFA funding for its reconstruction. On 8 October 2010, Albania's Prime Minister Sali Berisha declared that for

1386-515: The Communist Party, which was in power after the war. The old stadium held this name until 9 June 2016, the day on which its demolition officially began. During a ceremony held to present the winning project and the conclusion of the agreement for the construction of the new stadium, Albania's PM Edi Rama referred to the new stadium with the name of Arena Kombëtare . This made the stadium widely known and referred to as "Arena Kombëtare" from

SECTION 20

#1732782343892

1452-529: The Great Powers that had vital interests in the Balkans. As there was no more hope of saving Albania by means of arms, the only road to salvation was to separate Albania from Turkey. Ismail Kemal bey promoted this idea and objective, that was well received by all the Great Powers, in particular by Austria and Italy. It was only Russia that remained somewhat hostile to the idea because of the Slavs, but it did not deny

1518-636: The Ottoman Empire, the Albanians had never forgotten their own language and nationality, the best proof of this being the endeavours and uprisings that had taken place from time to time, in particular over the last four years, to preserve their rights and customs. The Ottoman Government had never taken their interests into consideration and had never been willing to recompense the Albanians for the great services they had rendered. It had recently shown some interest in coming to an understanding with our people, but had not given proof of good faith and had not taken all

1584-661: The TUMO Tirana is the Pyramid of Tirana which is planned to be reconstructed and returned to the headquarters of this teaching center. Albanian Declaration of Independence The Albanian Declaration of Independence ( Albanian : Deklarata e Pavarësisë ) was the declaration of independence of Albania from the Ottoman Empire . Independent Albania was proclaimed in Vlorë on 28 November 1912. Six days later

1650-529: The Turkish army had been defeated and that the Empire would not survive, the Albanians, who had played a greater role in the fighting than the soldiers, hastened to take requisite steps in their own interests as owners of the country. For this reason, Ismail Kemal bey departed for Istanbul and, having come to an understanding with the Albanians of Bucharest, too, set off for Vienna, where he reached an agreement with

1716-621: The United States, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Egypt, Italy, and of course from the new state itself. Bishop Fan Noli of Boston was one of the featured speakers. The congress recognized the provisional government of Ismail Qemal, pledged its faithful support, discussed the ethnic boundaries of the new state and sent strong resolutions to the European capitals and to the London Conference of Ambassadors then in session, appealing for their recognition of Albanian independence and for

1782-446: The afternoon at the house of Xhemil bey. Ismail Kemal bey, as the prime initiator of the gathering, took the floor and explained to the delegates the purpose of the assembly, that is, that they all must strive to do what is necessary to save Albania from the great perils it is now facing. The chairman, Ismail Kemal Bey, then took the floor and, in an ardent, fluid and reasonable speech, stated that although they had always been faithful to

1848-642: The construction of a new stadium. Soon after, at a meeting of the Council of Ministers on 2 February 2011, a decision was taken that for the 100th Anniversary of the Independence of Albania , which will occur in 2012, a new national stadium will be built in Tirana. Fenwick Iribarren Architects was commissioned to design the new stadium. The project envisioned the construction of a 33,000 all-seated stadium with an exterior facade representing Albanian state borders and its flag colours. But it never went ahead with

1914-417: The day the works began until a few weeks before the completion of the work. However, much controversy arose during the construction of whether the stadium should retain its old name "Qemal Stafa", the new one "Arena Kombëtare" or should be renamed in honor of a prominent Albanian football player to honor him as well as the history of this sport in the country. The most discussed figure was that of Panajot Pano ,

1980-648: The destination of the sports facility would not be changed. Thus, on 26 March 2011, was established Qëndra Sportive Kuq e Zi Sh.A with 70% of shareholding belonging to the FSHF and 25% to the Albanian Government through the Ministry of Sports . On 19 October 2010, Albania's PM Sali Berisha after a meeting with the President of UEFA Michel Platini , declared that the government is seriously considering

2046-550: The existence of Albania and an Albanian people. To realise this objective, he invited all Albanians to gather in Vlora and was delighted today to see that his call had not been in vain, and that delegates had been sent from all parts of Albania to reflect together on ways to save the Fatherland. According to Ismail Kemal Bey, the most urgent measures that the Albanian nation must take today are these: that Albania be independent under

Qemal Stafa Stadium - Misplaced Pages Continue

2112-417: The final cost exceeded 75 million euros. The signed contract stipulates that most of the cost of construction will be carried out by the private company itself, somewhere around € 40 million, and the difference of € 10 million would be covered by UEFA’s HatTrick assistance programme. Also, any cost increases during construction would also be carried by the company. While the company would be rewarded with

2178-474: The following day and the delegates went out and greeted the flag that was raised at five thirty in the afternoon. The second session of the Assembly of Vlorë was held on 4 December 1912. During that members of the assembly founded the first government of Independent Albania on 4 December 1912, which was led by Ismail Kemal . The government established also a 'Council of Elders' (Pleqësia) , which would help

2244-536: The former striker of KF Partizani , one of the capital's teams, as well as the national football team player. His name is widely respected and is considered one of the greatest footballers the country has ever known. Towards the end of the works, however, the FSHF hinted that the stadium could be named after a private company for sponsorship reasons. According to the federation, such a stadium will require ongoing funding due to maintenance and this necessitates taking advantage of any sponsorship opportunities. This led to

2310-558: The four Balkan allies . Balkan allies planned the partition of the European territory of the Ottoman Empire among them and in the meantime the territory conquered during First Balkan War was agreed to have status of the Condominium . That was the reason for Kemal to organize an All-Albanian Congress in Vlorë . The Assembly of 40 delegates meeting in southern Albania in the city of Vlorë on 28 November 1912, declared Albania an independent country. On 4 December 1912 they set up

2376-572: The government and the investor because the company requested the government to provide bank guarantees for the loans that the company would obtain during construction. On 22 May 2016 after the stadium was previously excluded from UEFA due to non-compliance with the standards, the last match between FK Kukësi and KF Laçi valid for the Albanian Cup Final was played in the Qemal Stafa Stadium before its final closure until

2442-459: The government to its duties. In addition, the Assembly of Vlorë decided that it would agree to any decision of the Great Powers for the system of government in Albania and that the provisional government would cease to exist after the recognition of independence of the country and the nomination of the monarch. The same day, Kemal waved the national flag of Albania, from the balcony of

2508-429: The head of a swiftly convened national assembly , declared Albanian independence in the town of Vlora on 28 November 1912. The declaration was more theoretical than practical because Vlora was the only town in the whole country under the delegates' control―yet it proved to be effective in the vacuum of power. Though Albanian independence was recognised de facto on 17 December 1912 at the London Conference of Ambassadors, it

2574-485: The host team lost 0–2. A crowd of more 21,000 was in attendance. Many celebrities of sport, politics and art were invited to the ceremony, with the UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama were among them. Since 1946, the time at which the stadium was finished, was named Qemal Stafa Stadium in honor of Qemal Stafa, a hero of the second world war and founder of

2640-683: The hotel tower, shopping areas and stadium spectators. In May 2022, the stadium hosted the first ever Europa Conference League final between AS Roma and Feyenoord Rotterdam . The stadium is located in the city-centre of the capital city of Tirana. Precisely on the Italia Square which itself is alongside one of the two main squares of the city, the Mother Teresa Square , named after the Albanian-born Saint Teresa of Calcutta . Both squares are located at

2706-601: The implementation of the project, considering it too expensive for the state budget which would cover most of the construction costs. In November 2013 the President of the FSHF, Armand Duka stated that UEFA will no longer allow European competitions such as the Champions League , UEFA Europa League and other international leagues to be played at Qemal Stafa Stadium or any other stadium in Albania because neither of them does not meet UEFA standards. Consequently,

Qemal Stafa Stadium - Misplaced Pages Continue

2772-504: The installation of seats which reduced the capacity to today's 19,700. In 1996, Qemal Stafa had illumination for evening sports event for the first time, with the funding being a gift from UEFA . In 2008, the stadium was revamped with new areas for anti- doping procedures and internet rooms were added for journalists. The stadium is used by the Albania national football team and for the home games of Tirana-based Albanian football clubs: KF Tirana , Partizani , and Dinamo . In June 2010,

2838-684: The interior design of the sports spaces, such as the changing rooms, conference rooms, etc. Also for the natural grass for the pitch , all the seats, the LED floodlights , as well as a large screen also in LED to be installed on the roof of the main grandstand. On 9 June 2016, the demolition of the National Stadium Qemal Stafa officially began. A new stadium, the Arena Kombëtare, will be built in its place, which will serve as

2904-730: The lifting of the Greek blockade. In December 1912 the Great Powers met in London to deal with territorial adjustments arising out of the conclusion of the First Balkan War . After months of wrangling and compromise under the constant threat of a general war, the conference announced its formal decisions on 17 May 1913. The question of Albanian independence that had prompted the Conference of Ambassadors at London came up for discussion at their first session. According to article II of

2970-430: The new home of the Albania national football team. The stadium will have 21,690 seats, but the facility is projected to be multi-functional. Simultaneously with the demolition began the disassembling stone by stone of the monumental staircase built by Gherardo Bosio in 1939, which is considered Monument of Culture and part of the cultural heritage of the capital. It will be conserved and then integrated by reassembled in

3036-458: The new stadium begins to build. A final attempt was made the following month by reopening the invitation to tender , with AlbStar Sh.p.k presenting a concrete offer. Compared to previous projects, AlbStar presented a new project with a reduced capacity of 22.500 all-seated stadium which also envisioned a tower in one corner of the stadium structure. The project was designed by Florentine architect Marco Casamonti of Archea Associati, who envisioned

3102-410: The opening of the tender on 8 August 2019, just months before the inauguration, for the new stadium name. Some domestic and foreign companies were interested in the competition, including oil, telecommunications, insurance, and airline companies. On 15 November 2019, Kuq e Zi Sh.A issued a press release announcing that two companies, Bolv Oil and Air Albania , went in the final phase of negotiations. With

3168-407: The ownership of all non-sporting parts and the tower which will be built simultaneously on one corner of the structure, as well as exempting the company from VAT payments for any work done related to the project. On the other hand, any other cost for everything sports spaces or game-related spaces will be carried out by the federation itself in cooperation with the government. The FSHF will pay for

3234-526: The project was officially presented by the President of FSHF Armand Duka, accompanied by the PM Edi Rama . At the design stage and during its presentation, the project was named "Arena Kombëtare" (English: National Arena ) , becoming the common name and widely used throughout its construction. The preliminary cost of the construction was initially said to be around € 50 million but later was increased to 60m, and according to comments from FSHF officials,

3300-460: The property rights of the stadium will belong to the Albanian Football Association, and the remaining 25% to the Albanian government. Once finished, the stadium is expected to be of category four, the highest UEFA category , and will potentially be able to host Champion League final matches. The demolition of the old stadium started in June 2016. In January 2010, after the death of the notable Albanian player Panajot Pano , an official request from

3366-403: The same location into the new stadium, where it will serve the same function as the main entrance to the stadium as it has had since its construction. Initially it was said that at least the sports areas of the stadium would be completed within two years of the start of construction, otherwise there would be penalties for the company. But since the beginning of the works there were problems with

SECTION 50

#1732782343892

3432-486: The sewage system of the capital which passed just under the old stadium, which caused the work to be delayed until the solution was found in cooperation with the Municipality. Then there were some other postponements making the stadium finally wrap up on 10 November 2019, waiting for the first time a test match between women's football teams of Vllaznia Shkodër and Apolonia Fier . The FSHF initially announced that

3498-428: The six great powers. They also appointed an International Commission of Control for Albania, to be composed of one representative from each of the six powers and one Albanian. This commission would supervise the Albanian government's organization, finances and administration for a 10-year period. Dutch officers would organize the gendarmerie. Austria-Hungary was a major supporter of Albanian independence and saw it as

3564-702: The southern end of the Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard , which on that side is confined to the University of Tirana building and the Grand Park of the city. The whole area, including the old Qemal Stafa Stadium, was conceived and built during the Kingdom of Albania and later during the Italian occupation by architects and urban planners Gherardo Bosio , Armando Brasini and Florestano Di Fausto . The stadium

3630-696: The stadium facilities will be hidden behind a unique set of blinders in national colours of Albania. In October 2020, the Municipality of Tirana alongside the Albanian-American Development Fund (AADF) decided to temporarily open the TUMO Center on the Arena Kombëtare internal spaces. The center offers for adolescents aged 12–18, extracurricular educational programs, innovative in design and technology, providing adolescents with space and equipment to advance their education while developing technical skills. The original location of

3696-548: The stadium was used for the Albanian Superliga matches, athletics events, and the six Albanian Spartakiads . The second football stadium in Tirana, the Selman Stërmasi stadium , was built in 1959 but by the late 1960s and early 1970s, the stadium's capacity was still not sufficient to meet the growing needs of the Albanian Superliga. The Qemal Stafa stadium was thus enhanced for the 30th anniversary of

3762-449: The stadium would most likely be inaugurated on 11 June 2019 but had to be tested and inspected by UEFA officials beforehand. However, the plan for the inauguration was postponed due to the delay in work and the pitch just being installed. The first test match was originally set to be played on 3 November, but was delayed by a week due to heavy rains. The first match, a women's fixture between KF Vllaznia and KF Apollonia held on 10 November,

3828-565: The stadium. The planned marble cladding was only installed on one stand. The stadium was named after Qemal Stafa , a Hero of Albania in World War II. The inauguration occurred when the Albania national football team played in the stadium for the first time on 7 October 1946, when the Balkan Cup was organised. The Cup was won by Albania; they overcame teams like Yugoslavia , Bulgaria , and Romania in that competition. Afterwards

3894-452: The state budget. The Italian company Serenissima Costruzioni in collaboration with MANICA Architecture and Progetto CMR as designer, presented its project for the stadium. The project envisioned the transfer of ownership of all non-sporting and commercial spaces in favour of the company, as well as the construction of a tower on one side of the stadium which would also be owned by the company. This attempt also failed during negotiations between

3960-400: The steps needed to appease and satisfy the Albanians. War had recently broken out with four countries in the Balkans that were seeking change and rights for their peoples, united by their ethnicity and religion. Later, these countries put aside their initial objective and, as the war was going well for them, they agreed to divide the Empire up among themselves, including Albania. Realizing that

4026-532: The treaty, the six ambassadors decided that Albania would be recognized as an autonomous state under the sovereignty of the Ottoman sultan. After the breakout of the Balkan Wars, on 29 July, the ambassadors decided to recognize the total independence and sovereignty of Albania. They provided that it be governed by a European prince to be elected by the powers. Albanian neutrality would be jointly guaranteed by

SECTION 60

#1732782343892

4092-424: The whole facade, including the tower. The metal panels have a curved triangular form, stylised with some shapes reminiscent of traditional Albanian carpets. The tower itself is 112 metres high and it fits the curved line of the structure on that side. The sports spaces inside the stadium consists of 3 uniform two-ring grandstands, and the main grandstand of one level which serves only for VIP stands. On 21 April 2016,

4158-408: The years, around 2010s the Albanian Football Association (FSHF) and the Albanian government began to discuss the possibility of renovating the facility or, if not possible, building a new stadium in the same location. The government and the FSHF came to an agreement to create a joint venture that would handle the tendering, construction and then management of the new stadium, with the condition that

4224-497: Was attended by many fans and won by Vllaznia 2–0, with the first-ever goal at the stadium scored by Arbiona Bajraktari . Arena Kombëtare, now under the new official name of Air Albania Stadium, was officially inaugurated with a ceremony on 17 November 2019, 1274 days after the final game at the old stadium. The first match, was valid for the Euro 2020 qualifiers played at 20:45 between the national teams of Albania and France , which

4290-410: Was not until 29 July 1913, after the second Balkan War and the solving of the delicate problem of Shkodra , that the international community agreed to recognise Albania as a neutral, sovereign and hereditary principality. The newspaper Përlindja of Vlora described it as follows: The National Assembly, composed of delegates from all over Albania and convening here in Vlora, opened today at four in

4356-633: Was originally designed in an elliptical shape and was to have been completely clad in marble. Galeazzo Ciano symbolically placed the first stone in August 1939. Construction lasted four years; work was interrupted in 1943 after the Capitulation of Italy . During the German invasion of Albania the stadium was used by the occupying German forces to store vehicles and equipment. After World War II , 400 workers and 150 daily volunteers finished construction of

#891108