Loro Boriçi Stadium

The Loro Boriçi Stadium (Albanian: Stadiumi "Loro Boriçi"), previously known as Vojo Kushi Stadium (Albanian: Stadiumi Vojo Kushi) is a multi-purpose stadium in Shkodër, Albania, which is used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Vllaznia. The stadium has a capacity of around 16,000 seated.

Loro Boriçi Stadium

Stadiumi Loro Boriçi (sq)
UEFA stadium category:
Full name	Stadiumi Loro Boriçi
Former names	Vojo Kushi Stadium (1952–1990)
Location	Rruga Djepaxhijej 2, 4001 Shkodër, Albania
Coordinates	42°04′12″N 19°30′24″E
Owner	Municipality of Shkodër
Operator	Albanian Football Association and Vllaznia
Capacity	16,000
Record attendance	16,000
Field size	105 by 68 metres (114.8 yd × 74.4 yd)
Surface	Grass
Scoreboard	LED
Construction
Broke ground	27 May 1950
Built	1950–1952
Opened	1 May 1952 (original stadium) 29 August 2016 (rebuilt stadium)
Renovated	1980s, 2001, 2016
Construction cost	€17 million (2015–16 rebuild cost)
Architect	Bolles+Wilson
Tenants
Vllaznia (1952–present) Albania national football team (2003–present)<

History

On 17 May 1950, the stadium started the construction and on 1 May 1952, the stadium was inaugurated and was named with name Vojo Kushi, who was an Albanian partisan, hero of Albania.[1] In 1990, during the fall of communism in Albania, the stadium was renamed in honour of football coach and former player Loro Boriçi. Between 2015 and 2016 the stadium was rebuilt into a modern all-seater stadium with a capacity of 16,022.[2] The stadium is also the second largest stadium in Albania behind the Qemal Stafa Stadium in Tirana.

2015 Reconstruction

The stadium was last renovated in 2001. In October 2014, the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama announced the reconstruction of the stadium.[3] On 3 May 2015, the construction work officially started, bringing the stadium to a renewed capacity of 18,100.[2]

Albania

On 29 March 2003, it hosted a UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying match of Albania against Russia and finished with a 3–1 win.[4]

#	Date	Competition	Opponent	Score	Att.	Ref
1.	29 March 2003	UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying	Russia	3–1	16,000	[4]
2.	7 February 2007	Friendly	Macedonia	0–1	7,000	[5]
3.	24 March 2007	UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying	Slovenia	0–0	12,000	[6]
4.	10 August 2011	Friendly	Montenegro	3–2	5,000	[7]
5.	31 August 2016		Morocco	0–0	N/A	[8]
6.	5 September 2016	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification	Macedonia	2–1	14,667	[9]
7.	9 October 2016		Spain	0–2	15,425	[10]
8.	9 October 2017		Italy	0–1	14,718	[11]
9.	17 November 2018	2018–19 UEFA Nations League	Scotland	0–4	8,632	[12]
10.	22 March 2019	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying	Turkey	0–2	11,730	[13]

Kosovo

After stadiums in Mitrovica and Pristina were under renovation and do not meet UEFA standards.[14] Kosovo played the qualifying matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Loro Boriçi Stadium.[15][16] On 6 October 2016, it hosted the first qualifying match of Kosovo against Croatia and finished with a 0–6 biggest defeat.[17][18]

#	Date	Competition	Opponent	Score	Att.	Ref
1.	6 October 2016	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification	Croatia	0–6	14,612	[17][18]
2.	24 March 2017		Iceland	1–2	6,832	[19]
3.	11 June 2017		Turkey	1–4	6,000	[20]
4.	5 September 2017		Finland	0–1	2,446	[21]
5.	6 October 2017		Ukraine	0–2	1,261	[22]

Notes and references

Notes

1. ^
   After stadiums in Mitrovica and Pristina were under renovation and do not meet UEFA standards.[14] Kosovo played the qualifying matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Loro Boriçi Stadium.[15][16]

References

1. "Historia e stadiumit kombëtar "Loro Boriçi"" [History of national stadium "Loro Boriçi"]. ShkodraNews (in Albanian).
2. Konferencë për shtyp e Sekretarit të Përgjithshëm Ilir Shulku on YouTube
3. "Edi Rama: Doshi, Frroku e Çela, merrni Vllazninë. "Loro Boriçi", arenë europiane" [Edi Rama: Doshi, Frroku and Çela get Vllaznia. "Loro Boriçi", the European arena] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 12 October 2014.
4. "Albania (3–1) Russia". eu-football.info. 29 March 2003.
5. "Albania (0–1) Macedonia". eu-football.info. 7 February 2007.
6. "Albania (0–0) Slovenia". eu-football.info. 24 March 2007.
7. "Albania (3–2) Montenegro". eu-football.info. 10 August 2011.
8. "Albania (0–0) Morocco". eu-football.info. 31 August 2016.
9. "Albania (2–1) Macedonia". eu-football.info. 5 September 2016.
10. "Albania (0–2) Spain". eu-football.info. 9 October 2016.
11. "Albania (0–1) Italy". eu-football.info. 9 October 2017.
12. "Albania (0–4) Scotland". eu-football.info. 17 November 2018.
13. "Albania (0–2) Turkey". eu-football.info. 22 March 2019.
14. "Këto janë 11 stadiumet e Superligës dhe asnjëri nuk i plotëson kushtet (Foto)" [These are the 11 Superleague stadiums and none meet the conditions (Photo)] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 3 May 2016.
15. "Loro Boriçi, shtëpia e përkohshme e Kosovës" [Loro Boriçi, the temporary home of Kosovo] (in Albanian). Radio Television of Kosovo. 28 June 2016.
16. "Loro Boriçi, i rilindur gati për kolaudim (Foto)" [Loro Boriçi, reborn ready for test (Photo)]. Facebook (in Albanian). Edi Rama. 11 August 2016.
17. "Kosova nuk arriti t'i bëjë ballë Kroacisë" [Kosovo failed to withstand Croatia] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 6 October 2016.
18. "Kosovo (0–6) Croatia". eu-football.info. 6 October 2016.
19. "Kosovo (1–2) Iceland". eu-football.info. 24 March 2017.
20. "Kosovo (1–4) Turkey". eu-football.info. 11 June 2017.
21. "Kosovo (0–1) Finland". eu-football.info. 5 September 2017.
22. "Kosovo (0–2) Ukraine". eu-football.info. 6 October 2017.

External links

• Stadiumi "Loro Boriçi" on Facebook
• Loro Boriçi Stadium at EU-Football.info