KF Tirana Info

FACILITIES FOR OFFICIAL MATCHES

KF Tirana plays all official soccer games into "Selman Stermasi"Stadium in the capital-city,Tirana(look at pictures 1 & 2 above).This stadium is located approx.200 m far from west side of National Lana or ex-exhibition"Shqiperia Sot".
The"Selman Stermasi" soccer Stadium is built around years 60' and is been previously named "Dinamo"Stadium till 1991 when it permanently got the new name.
This name is taken from the eminent and legendary KF Tirana soccer player,Selman Stermasi,who is deceased.This player has played between years 40' and 50'.Please find more detailed infos enclosed about this famous player along this link,further down.
The"Selman Stermasi"Stadium has a capacity of 12.500 (of which 6000 seated) and has recently ended a long phase of construction,involving the main pitch,central seated area,facilities around and general lineaments,according to high european standarts.There are still improvements expected to be done soon,as side seated areas,electronic clock,KF Tirana shopping centre just under central seated area,etc.The internal facilities include also a press conference room,journalist's corner,shower rooms.The main parking area is located at the front of the stadium.The whole external part of the stadium is surrounded from a 9 ft.rail fence.

How to get there?

By bus
From City centre,get"Kombinat"Bus line,get off at junction"21 Dhjetori",then get"Unaze"line towards East (left side) and finally get off near Ex-exhibition"Shqiperia Sot.Otherwise,from City Centre,get"Tirana Re"bus line and get off once passed junction from Bulevardi"Deshmoret e Kombit".
By car
From TIA "Mother Teresa"Airport,follow west and signs of town centre.From there,operate as mentioned for the bus line.The approximate driving distance is 22 km(13 miles)and would take 15-25 minutes,depending on the traffic.

TRAINING PITCH

KF Tirana is trained and prepared at "Skender Halili" training pitch,or annex near"Selman Stermasi" and in rare occasions,players do physical and limbering exercises at "Fahrie Hoti" Sport Palace.

"Skender Halili" training pitch is located near"Qyteti i Nxenesve" district,by city periphery.Its surrounded from a low fence(as seen on picture 5).The main pitch is made of natural grass,there are enough parking spaces,as well as designated exits.
"Skender Halili" training pitch also has just recently completed a total construction.Main pitch has been divided into 2 annexes:one natural grass pitch and one artificial grass pitch.A part of monetary fund was supplied from FFA,as the Champion of Albania receive
$ 100.000 at the end of the season and last trophies has earned the club an additional sum.Another part of this fund has been supplied from the club cashbox,or credit from the bank.The whole project is said to have cost around $ 450.000.

WHO IS SELMAN STËRMASI ?

Derived from a wealthy and generous family,he was among the very first soccer players of the city,long before 1-st Albanian Championship would take place.And,few years before the War,he became KF Tirana first president.He was the man to grant all his perspiration,talent and fortune,but also his great spirit.Along that time,his house was always the living roof for poor people.As true as,the players joking,used to name his house,near Pazari i Ri,"the dinning room".But his generosity was endless ! He always paid everything for the club,earning nothing at all for himself.
He discovered the two big future stars of albanian soccer,Llustra and Krieziu,taking them since kids into his house,till they were grown adults.He was the man who grew them professionally and actualized their contracts for big italian clubs at that time.He held no penny from the contracts,but gave the money to the players.Thats why,at present days,Llustra and Krieziu remember and honor him.Although paralyssed and mute,Llustra only cries in the front of great Selmasi photo,every time he remembers how he was never allowed to meet him at this lifetime.
With the communist power taking over,this was unfortunate for KF Tirana and Selmasi.There was decided that the name of the club would change from KF Tirana to "17 Nentori".When he opposed saying"Futboll Klub Tirana is a great traditional name and we have no reason to change it",those people replied:"Sit down there and shut up !" describing him an enemy of the state.And,of course,afterwards it would give them the motive to dismiss him from work and allow him not to enter again the club.Its indeed paradoxical:a person as Selman Stermasi was not allowed to enter the club that he himself contributed to create ! Then he was better wellknown around,he worked for a while at the Wood Processing Factory,being never verified at the main door because his honesty was known from everyone.The most difficult moments were when he had no tickets to watch matches when National Team was playing.He used to cry in front of TV screen,as he was full of joy when professor Fatmir Frasheri often offered him a match ticket.
This was the soccer-man,the white and blue man that never wanted the maiden name"17 Nentori" but originally Futboll Klub Tirana.These days,as he is deceased,there is a stadium with his name.Whilst we would only bring a remembrance as homages and we believe it exists to all KF Tirana fans : we have seen thousands of matches,but never heard white and blue fans hail"17 Nentori",but"TIRONA,TIRONA".