Loro Boriçi Stadium: A Key Sports Venue in Northern Albania
Loro Boriçi stadium is a multi-purpose sports venue located in the northern Albanian city of Shkodra. It primarily hosts football (soccer) matches, namely the home matches of KF Vllaznia (the most popular football club in northern Albania). This venue is the second largest stadium in Albania.
The Upgrade Of Loro Boriçi Stadium
The first construction works for the main stadium of Shkodra began on May 17, 1950. This construction finished on May 1, 1952, and the venue was named Vojo Kushi. In 1990, the stadium took the name Loro Boriçi in memory of the famous hometown player, active in the 1940s and 50s. In 2001, the stadium received a renovation that included the installation of plastic seats in the stands.
On March 29, 2003, the venue hosted its first official international match between national selections. It was a memorable game that finished in a 3-1 win for Albania against Russia.
The latest reconstructive work on the stadium began on May 3, 2015. This reconstruction brought the capacity to a renewed 18,100 seats; from these, about 16,022 seats offer an adequate uninterrupted view of the pitch. The construction cost about € 17,000,000 and followed a layout project designed by Bolles + Wilson studio.
The 2015-2016 stadium renovation included the construction of a brand new central stand, all covered. This stand has a capacity of 2,550 seats and a modern upgrade in conditions and amenities. Indeed, the stadium front stand was almost in ruins before this intervention.
After complete reconstruction, the stadium of Shkodra opened on August 31, 2016. It hosted the friendly match Albania vs. Morocco (0-0). From then onwards, the Albanian national team has played multiple games in this new upgraded arena.
From October 6, 2016, to October 6, 2017, the Kosova National Football Association played games in this stadium. The side from Kosova played its home matches here as its only-licensed stadium of Prishtina was under construction.
Largest Olympic Stadium in Albania
Loro Boriçi stadium is the most important venue of the sports infrastructure in Shkodër. Currently, the northern stadium has a four-star UEFA stadium category, one star less than the ultra-modern standard. In 2017, after another funding of € 628,586, an athletic track paved with tartan was constructed. This track encircled the playing football pitch. This addition makes the stadium the largest Olympic stadium in Albania.
* Loro Boriçi features in our top 10 Albanian stadiums *
