Visar Kastrati is a Kosovan football referee. He has been a FIFA listed referee since 2020 and is ranked as a UEFA second category referee. Starting at 2024, Kastrati has been a FIFA listed as Video Match Official.[1]
 Kastrati in 2022 | |||
| Born |
24 October 1986 Prizren, Kosovo | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 182 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Other occupation | Software engineer | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 2010– | FFK | Referee | |
| 2017– | Superliga | Referee | |
| 2021– | FFK | VAR | |
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 2020– | FIFA listed | Referee | |
| 2024– | FIFA listed | VAR | |
In 2023, Kastrati was awarded by Football Federation of Kosova as the "Best Referee of the Year".[2][3][4][5][6]
For two years in a row (2023 and 2022), he was named "Best Sports Referee of the Year" by the local Municipality in Prishtina.[7][8][9][10][11][12]
Refereeing career edit
Kastrati has been promoted as a referee in the Kosovo Superliga, the national top-flight, during the 2016–17 season and his debut match was FC Besa vs KF Hajvalia on 8 March 2017. In the same season, he started attending UEFA’s Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE) program,[13] and eventually became a FIFA Referee in 2020 and FIFA VAR in 2024.[14]
On 13 October 2020, Kastrati refereed his first international match, taking charge of a 2021 European Under-21 Championship qualifier between Romania and Malta.[15][16]
In September 2022, Kastrati was appointed to referee the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League group stage match between Gent and Shamrock Rovers.[17]
In June 2023, he refereed Kosovo Cup Final match between SC Gjilani and FC Prishtina. A day before, he refereed Relegation match between FC Ferizaj and FC Liria.[18]
In August 2021, he has been a VAR on Kosovo Supercup, which was the first match played with VAR in Kosovo.[19][20]
Personal life edit
Kastrati has a degree of Master of Science in Software Engineering and Telecommunications at the University of Sheffield.[21] Beyond refereeing, he works as an Information Technology Consultant at the Central Election Commission in Kosovo.
Since 2021, he also works as a lead VAR instructor for the Football Federation of Kosovo.[22][23]
References edit
- ^ "International Referees". www.fifa.com. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ^ "Visar Kastrati merr çmimin 'Referi më i mirë'". Federata e Futbollit e Kosovës (in Albanian). 2023-12-24. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
- ^ "Visar Kastrati, shpallet gjyqtari më i mirë i vitit nga FFK". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 2023-12-24. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
- ^ "Visar Kastrati, gjyqtari më i mirë për vitin 2023". Klan Kosova (in Albanian). 2023-12-24. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
- ^ "Visar Kastrati, gjyqtari i vitit 2023". Gazeta Express (in Albanian). 2023-12-24. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
- ^ "Visar Kastrati merr çmimin 'Referi më i mirë'". Lajmi.net. 2023-12-24. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
- ^ "Visar Kastrati, gjyqtari më i mirë për vitin 2022 në Prishtinë". demokracia.com (in Albanian). 3 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Prishtina Online - Komuna e Prishtinës mbajti ceremoninë për përzgjedhjen e Laureatëve të vitit 2022". Prishtina Online. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
- ^ "Gjykoi ndeshje vendore e ndërkombëtare, Kastrati: Viti 2022 ishte më i suksesshmi deri më tash në karrierën time". GazetaBlic (in Albanian). 2 January 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- ^ "Prishtina Online - Shpallen Laureatët e Sportit për Vitin 2023 në Prishtinë". Prishtina Online. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
- ^ "Kryeqyteti shpall laureatët e Sportit për vitin 2023 - Dukagjini". Dukagjini.com (in Albanian). 2024-03-16. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
- ^ "Delegohen gjyqtarët për javën e 25-të në Superligë, Visar Kastrati i besohet derbi". Gazeta Express (in Albanian). 10 March 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ^ "Tre gjyqtarë nga Kosova diplomojnë në UEFA Core". TOP Sporti (in Albanian). 13 February 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ "International Referees". www.fifa.com. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ^ "Kështu performuan gjyqtarët kosovarë në arenën ndërkombëtare". Periskopi.com (in Albanian). 14 October 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ^ "Romania-Malta | Under-21 2021". UEFA.com. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
- ^ "Visar Kastrati delegohet nga UEFA në ndeshjen e grupeve të Ligës së Konferencës: Gent – Shamrock Rovers". Indeksonline (in Albanian). 13 September 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ "Në Kosovë, arbitri gjykon dy finale brenda 24 orëve". SuperSport. 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
- ^ "FFK-ja nesër inauguron sistemin VAR". KOHA.net. 2021-08-16. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ^ "Zyrtarët e ndeshjes së Superkupës". Federata e Futbollit e Kosovës (in Albanian). 2021-08-16. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ^ "UBT News". UBT - Higher Education Institution. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
- ^ "How would VAR work in Scotland?". BBC Sport. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ^ "Po vazhdon trajnimi i gjeneratës së dytë për VAR-AVAR". Football Federation of Kosovo. 11 February 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2023.