World-renowned referee Szymon Marciniak, along with assistants Bartosz Heinig and Marek Arys, and VAR official Paweł Malec, have arrived in Tirana, where they will officiate tonight’s big championship final of the “Abissnet Superiore” between Vllaznia and Egnatia.
Marciniak and the referee team were welcomed by the Head of the Refereeing Department at the Albanian Football Association, Sokol Jareci, and representatives of the Albanian Referees Association (BASHF). This morning, they visited the facilities of the “House of Football,” where they were introduced to the latest developments and investments in Albanian football infrastructure.
During their visit, they toured the training fields, the National Team’s training center, the internal administrative offices, the FSHF museum—where they learned about the history of Albanian football—as well as the permanent center for the VAR system, which is expected to become fully operational starting next season.
Marciniak and the other referees also met with AFA Vice President Lutfi Nuri, AFA General Secretary Ilir Shulku, AFA Administrative Director Aldi Topçiu, and the head coach of the Albanian National Team, Sylvinho.
In a brief statement to fshf.org, the Polish referee expressed his highest appreciation for the “House of Football” and delivered a message to all Albanian youth to join the refereeing profession through the campaign “Become a Referee.”
“I’m truly very impressed. This is our dream in Poland—to have a federation like this. First of all, it’s very difficult to find a location in the city center like you have here. But you’ve got everything: training fields for players, a museum, a rich history, and a bright future.
I’m even more impressed by the VAR Center you’ve created, which is also part of our plans—we hope to complete it next year.
I can only congratulate you and wish you all the best for the future. As we know, a beautiful federation and a modern center are important, but we always need great success to make everyone happy.
This is a global challenge—we need more and more young referees. So, this is a message for you, young boys and girls: put aside your computers and phones. Pick up a ball, start playing, and then become referees!
You can become part of the biggest football events in the world. I’m a good example myself—I’ve been part of the World Cup, the Champions League, the Club World Cup Final, and I’ve had the chance to see the greatest players up close—Messi, Ronaldo, and others. And trust me, I didn’t pay for tickets and had the best seat in the stadium! You can travel the world, do what you love, and be part of football.
You also have great examples in Albania—good referees and instructors. Everything is ready—don’t be lazy. Come and try to become referees! “BECOME A REFEREE,” said Szymon Marciniak in his statement for fshf.org.
The “Abissnet Superiore” championship final between Vllaznia and Egnatia will be played tonight at 20:00 at the “National Arena.” An enthusiastic atmosphere is expected from both sets of fans. Tickets remain available online at ebileta.al and in person at the ticket office near the “National Arena” stadium.
