Air Albania Stadium

Arena Kombëtare stands in Tirana’s centre on Italia Square, beside the larger Mother Teresa Square. The stadium replaced the old Qemal Stafa Stadium, built in the 1930s under Italian architects Gherardo Bosio, Armando Brasini and Florestano Di Fausto. Its eight-faceted design gives each side a distinct purpose, with a 112-metre tower rising at one corner. The tower houses a hotel and overlooks the surrounding public buildings. The stadium seats 22,500 and is Albania’s largest.

The stadium is owned by the Albanian Football Association and the state through a joint company. It hosted the 2022 Europa Conference League final between AS Roma and Feyenoord Rotterdam. UEFA had refused to allow matches at the old stadium, forcing Albania to build a new one. The project was led by architect Marco Casamonti of Archea Associati. The design echoes the shape of Albania on a map, with curved metal panels in red and black.

Inside, three uniform two-ring grandstands surround the pitch, with a single-level VIP stand on one side. The curved facade is clad in triangular metal panels that recall traditional Albanian carpets. Outside, the University of Tirana, the Palace of Congress and the Archaeological Museum form a civic cluster around the stadium. The Grand Park lies at the boulevard’s southern end, linking the area to the city’s heart.