Qemal Stafa Stadium

The Qemal Stafa Stadium (Albanian: Stadiumi Qemal Stafa), named after Qemal Stafa a World War II hero, is a national stadium and the largest football stadium in Tirana, Albania. Construction started in 1939 and the stadium was inaugurated in 1946 for the Balkan Cup, which was won by the Albania national football team. The stadium has been used for football matches of the Albanian Superliga and the national team, athletic events, and the six Albanian Spartakiads. Although it was enlarged in 1974 to accommodate up to 35,000 spectators, in the 1990s it became an all-seater stadium, and its capacity was reduced to the current 19 700.

Plans to demolish the current stadium and begin construction of a new one right after the Qualifiers for Euro 2012 have already been approved by the Football Association of Albania and the Albanian government, which will divide the property rights of the stadium between them; the football association will hold 75% rights and the government 25%. A new stadium with a capacity of over 33,000 spectators will be built at a cost of €60 million. The new stadium will be football-only; the athletics track will be removed. It will have the shape of the map of Albania, and its outside will be black and red, the colours of the Albanian flag. The outer shape will be rugged to harmonize with the mountainous skyline of Tirana. The stadium is expected to meet the highest UEFA category.