Visar Kastrati

Visar Kastrati

Kastrati in 2024
Born	(1986-10-24) 24 October 1986 (age 38) Prizren, Kosovo
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Other occupation	Software engineer
Domestic
Years	League	Role
2010–	FFK	Referee
2017–	Superleague	Referee
2021–	FFK	VAR
International
Years	League	Role
2020–	FIFA listed	Referee
2024–	FIFA listed	VAR

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]

In 2024 and 2023, Kastrati was awarded by Football Federation of Kosova as the "Best Referee of the Year". ^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]}

For two years in a row (2023 and 2022), he was named "Best Sports Referee of the Year" by the local Municipality in Prishtina. ^{[11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]}

Refereeing career

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, ^[17] and eventually became a FIFA Referee in 2020 and FIFA VAR in 2024. ^[18]

On 13 October 2020, Kastrati refereed his first international match, taking charge of a 2021 European Under-21 Championship qualifier between Romania and Malta. ^{[19] [20]}

In September 2022, Kastrati was appointed to referee the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League group stage match between Gent and Shamrock Rovers. ^[21]

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. ^[22]

In August 2021, he has been a VAR on Kosovo Supercup, which was the first match played with VAR in Kosovo. ^{[23] [24]}

Personal life

Kastrati has a degree of Master of Science in Software Engineering and Telecommunications at the University of Sheffield. ^[25] 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. ^{[26] [27]}

References

1. "International Referees". www.fifa.com. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
2. "Visar Kastrati merr çmimin 'Referi më i mirë'". Federata e Futbollit e Kosovës (in Albanian). 2023-12-24. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
3. "Visar Kastrati, shpallet gjyqtari më i mirë i vitit nga FFK". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 2023-12-24. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
4. "Visar Kastrati, gjyqtari më i mirë për vitin 2023". Klan Kosova (in Albanian). 2023-12-24. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
5. "Visar Kastrati, gjyqtari i vitit 2023". Gazeta Express (in Albanian). 2023-12-24. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
6. "Visar Kastrati merr çmimin 'Referi më i mirë'". Lajmi.net. 2023-12-24. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
7. "Visar Kastrati zgjidhet gjyqtari më i mirë i vitit" . Retrieved 2024-12-28.
8. "Laureatët e vitit 2024: Edon Zhegrova lojtari kosovar më i suksseshëm, Ballkani klubi më i mirë". Nacionale. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
9. "Emërllahu futbollist i vitit, Zhegrovës çmimi "Fadil Vokrri"". KOHA.net (in Albanian). 2024-12-20. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
10. BM (2024-12-20). "Këto janë të gjitha çmimet që i ndau FFK-ja". Klan Kosova (in Albanian). Retrieved 2024-12-28.
11. "Visar Kastrati, gjyqtari më i mirë për vitin 2022 në Prishtinë". demokracia.com (in Albanian). 3 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
12. "Prishtina Online - Komuna e Prishtinës mbajti ceremoninë për përzgjedhjen e Laureatëve të vitit 2022". Prishtina Online. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
13. "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.
14. "Prishtina Online - Shpallen Laureatët e Sportit për Vitin 2023 në Prishtinë". Prishtina Online. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
15. "Kryeqyteti shpall laureatët e Sportit për vitin 2023 - Dukagjini". Dukagjini.com (in Albanian). 2024-03-16. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
16. "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.
17. "Tre gjyqtarë nga Kosova diplomojnë në UEFA Core". TOP Sporti (in Albanian). 13 February 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
18. "International Referees". www.fifa.com. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
19. "Kështu performuan gjyqtarët kosovarë në arenën ndërkombëtare". Periskopi.com (in Albanian). 14 October 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
20. "Romania-Malta | Under-21 2021". UEFA . Retrieved 13 May 2023.
21. "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.
22. "Në Kosovë, arbitri gjykon dy finale brenda 24 orëve". SuperSport. 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
23. "FFK-ja nesër inauguron sistemin VAR". KOHA.net. 2021-08-16. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
24. "Zyrtarët e ndeshjes së Superkupës". Federata e Futbollit e Kosovës (in Albanian). 2021-08-16. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
25. "UBT News". UBT - Higher Education Institution. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
26. "How would VAR work in Scotland?". BBC Sport. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
27. "Po vazhdon trajnimi i gjeneratës së dytë për VAR-AVAR". Football Federation of Kosovo . 11 February 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2023.