The Football Association organized a welcome dinner in honor of the teams participating in the UEFA European Under-17 Championship “Albania 2025,” the UEFA organizational staff, as well as many other guests from the world of football.
During the evening, the President of the Albanian Football Association, Armand Duka, delivered a welcoming speech emphasizing the importance of this event for Albania, describing it as a special occasion not only for Albanian football but also for the young people who follow and play the sport.
President Duka also underlined that every effort has been made to ensure the organization of the UEFA European Under-17 Championship is at the highest level, providing the best possible conditions for all participants, so they feel at home and leave Albania with beautiful memories.
“On behalf of myself, the Football Association, and the Albanian community, I warmly welcome you to Albania. This final tournament of the European Championship, for many of you who have considerable experience in associations, or for Christopher who has over 30 years in UEFA, may be a routine event, but for us, it is a very special and important occasion.
We have not really had prior experience organizing a final tournament of this level. We have organized other events before, perhaps smaller ones, including the Conference League final. But this tournament has its own unique features and is truly more beautiful than others. It is important for the children who play football, for the kids who have been in the stands supporting the teams, and why not, for those who aspire to become footballers one day. What is most important for us, as assistants to the organizers which is UEFA, is that you feel comfortable and well, you and all the young players who have come to play in Albania.
I don’t know if you are truly satisfied and if our staff has done everything well, but one thing I am sure of: we have done our best to make you feel at home. So that the young boys are comfortable during their training and matches, and so that they leave not only this important event but also our country with a good and beautiful memory. Why not, also having made friendships, because in the end, through the game, we exchange cultures and create friendships.
We are only halfway through the Championship, and unfortunately, our team hasn’t had good results, but I am happy that we are part of this European Championship even as a team.
I believe that the boys who have played should also be satisfied because they have created a beautiful experience. Since we are approaching the end, I hope the remaining part will go even better than so far and that we close with a great final in Tirana,” said President Duka.
UEFA delegate for the EURO U17, Claudio Negroni, congratulated the Albanian Football Association for the successful organization of the finals of this competition in Albania, describing it as a very good test and a valuable experience for the future.
“I am pleased to speak on behalf of UEFA representatives for the finals of this competition, which Albania is hosting for the first time, but it will not be the last, as Albania will also host the EURO U21 finals in 2027,” said Negroni.
He praised the continuous work of the Albanian Football Association and the organizing staff, expressing optimism for the continued success of the tournament: “The EURO U17 is a very good test, a good training, and we wish the President and his team all the best and success in organizing this prestigious tournament.”
One element that particularly impressed the delegate was the high attendance of fans in the stadiums, with an average of 4,500 spectators per match, representing the second highest attendance figure since 2002.
“So far, we have had nearly 4,500 spectators present at each match, which is the second-best attendance record since 2002. Germany still holds the record with over 5,500 spectators for many years,” concluded Claudio Negroni.
