Visar Kastrati
{{Short description|Kosovan referee}}
{{Infobox football official
| name = Visar Kastrati
| image = Visar Kastrati - Referee.jpg
| caption = Kastrati in 2024
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|10|24|df=y}}
| birth_place = Prizren, Kosovo
| height = 1.82 m
| otheroccupation = Software engineer
| years1 = 2010–
| league1 = FFK
| role1 = Referee
| years2 = 2017–
| league2 = Superleague
| role2 = Referee
| years3 = 2021–
| league3 = FFK
| role3 = VAR
| internationalyears1 = 2020–
| confederation1 = FIFA listed
| internationalrole1 = Referee
| internationalyears2 = 2024–
| confederation2 = FIFA listed
| internationalrole2 = 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.{{Cite web |title=International Referees |url=https://www.fifa.com/origin1904-p.cxm.fifa.com/technical/refereeing/international-referees |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=www.fifa.com |language=en}}
In 2024 and 2023, Kastrati was awarded by Football Federation of Kosova as the "Best Referee of the Year".{{Cite web |date=2023-12-24 |title=Visar Kastrati merr çmimin ‘Referi më i mirë’ |url=https://www.ffk-kosova.com/visar-kastrati-merr-cmimin-referi-me-i-mire/ |access-date=2023-12-27 |website=Federata e Futbollit e Kosovës |language=sq-AL}}{{Cite web |date=2023-12-24 |title=Visar Kastrati, shpallet gjyqtari më i mirë i vitit nga FFK |url=https://telegrafi.com/visar-kastrati-shpallet-gjyqtari-mire-vitit-nga-ffk/ |access-date=2023-12-27 |website=Telegrafi |language=sq}}{{Cite web |date=2023-12-24 |title=Visar Kastrati, gjyqtari më i mirë për vitin 2023 |url=https://klankosova.tv/visar-kastrati-gjyqtari-me-i-mire-per-vitin-2023/ |access-date=2023-12-27 |website=Klan Kosova |language=sq}}{{Cite web |date=2023-12-24 |title=Visar Kastrati, gjyqtari i vitit 2023 |url=https://www.gazetaexpress.com/visar-kastrati-gjyqtari-i-vitit-2023/ |access-date=2023-12-27 |website=Gazeta Express |language=sq}}{{Cite web |date=2023-12-24 |title=Visar Kastrati merr çmimin ‘Referi më i mirë’ |url=https://lajmi.net/visar-kastrati-merr-cmimin-referi-me-i-mire/ |access-date=2023-12-27 |website=Lajmi.net |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Visar Kastrati zgjidhet gjyqtari më i mirë i vitit |url=https://indeksonline.net/visar-kastrati-zgjidhet-gjyqtari-me-i-mire-i-vitit/ |access-date=2024-12-28 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Laureatët e vitit 2024: Edon Zhegrova lojtari kosovar më i suksseshëm, Ballkani klubi më i mirë |url=https://nacionale.com/sport/laureatet-e-vitit-2024-edon-zhegrova-lojtari-kosovar-me-i-suksseshem-ballkani-klubi-me-i-mire |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=Nacionale |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-12-20 |title=Emërllahu futbollist i vitit, Zhegrovës çmimi “Fadil Vokrri” |url=https://www.koha.net/futboll/emerllahu-futbollist-i-vitit-zhegroves-cmimi-fadil-vokrri |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=KOHA.net |language=sq}}{{Cite web |last=BM |date=2024-12-20 |title=Këto janë të gjitha çmimet që i ndau FFK-ja |url=https://klankosova.tv/keto-jane-te-gjitha-cmimet-qe-i-ndau-ffk-ja/ |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=Klan Kosova |language=sq}}
For two years in a row (2023 and 2022), he was named "Best Sports Referee of the Year" by the local Municipality in Prishtina.{{Cite web |date=3 March 2023 |title=Visar Kastrati, gjyqtari më i mirë për vitin 2022 në Prishtinë |url=https://demokracia.com/visar-kastrati-gjyqtari-me-i-mire-per-vitin-2022-ne-prishtine/?fbclid=IwAR3mpzO08cptaYNL5D_AdfB21y0KRo84LVt6EJDExMEb5NyFCuwrwXpik4k |access-date=3 March 2023 |website=demokracia.com |language=sq}}{{Cite web |title=Prishtina Online - Komuna e Prishtinës mbajti ceremoninë për përzgjedhjen e Laureatëve të vitit 2022 |url=https://prishtinaonline.com/lajmet/3836/komuna-e-prishtines-mbajti-ceremonine-per-perzgjedhjen-e-laureateve-te-vitit-2022 |access-date=2024-03-23 |website=Prishtina Online}}{{Cite web |date=2 January 2023 |title=Gjykoi ndeshje vendore e ndërkombëtare, Kastrati: Viti 2022 ishte më i suksesshmi deri më tash në karrierën time |url=https://gazetablic.com/gjykoi-ndeshje-vendore-e-nderkombetare-kastrati-viti-2022-ishte-me-i-suksesshmi-deri-me-tash-ne-karrieren-time/ |access-date=10 May 2023 |website=GazetaBlic |language=sq}}{{Cite web |title=Prishtina Online - Shpallen Laureatët e Sportit për Vitin 2023 në Prishtinë |url=https://prishtinaonline.com/lajmet/4064/shpallen-laureatet-e-sportit-per-vitin-2023-ne-prishtine |access-date=2024-03-23 |website=Prishtina Online}}{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-03-16 |title=Kryeqyteti shpall laureatët e Sportit për vitin 2023 - Dukagjini |url=https://www.dukagjini.com/kryeqyteti-shpalle-laureatet-e-sportit-per-vitin-2-023/ |access-date=2024-03-23 |website=Dukagjini.com |language=sq}}{{Cite web |date=10 March 2023 |title=Delegohen gjyqtarët për javën e 25-të në Superligë, Visar Kastrati i besohet derbi |url=https://www.gazetaexpress.com/delegohen-gjyqtaret-per-javen-e-25-te-ne-superlige-visar-kastrati-i-besohet-derbi/ |access-date=15 May 2023 |website=Gazeta Express |language=sq}}
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,{{Cite web |date=13 February 2017 |title=Tre gjyqtarë nga Kosova diplomojnë në UEFA Core |url=https://topsporti.com/artikulli/tre-gjyqtare-nga-kosova-diplomojne-ne-uefa-core/ffk-superliga-e-kosoves |access-date=18 May 2023 |website=TOP Sporti |language=sq}} and eventually became a FIFA Referee in 2020 and FIFA VAR in 2024.{{Cite web |title=International Referees |url=https://www.fifa.com/origin1904-p.cxm.fifa.com/technical/refereeing/international-referees |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=www.fifa.com |language=en}}
On 13 October 2020, Kastrati refereed his first international match, taking charge of a 2021 European Under-21 Championship qualifier between Romania and Malta.{{Cite web |date=14 October 2020 |title=Kështu performuan gjyqtarët kosovarë në arenën ndërkombëtare |url=https://www.periskopi.com/keshtu-performuan-gjyqtaret-kosovare-ne-arenen-nderkombetare/ |access-date=15 May 2023 |website=Periskopi.com |language=sq}}{{Cite web |title=Romania-Malta {{!}} Under-21 2021 |url=https://www.uefa.com/under21/match/2026736--romania-vs-malta/ |access-date=13 May 2023 |website=UEFA |language=en}}
In September 2022, Kastrati was appointed to referee the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League group stage match between Gent and Shamrock Rovers.{{Cite web |date=13 September 2022 |title=Visar Kastrati delegohet nga UEFA në ndeshjen e grupeve të Ligës së Konferencës: Gent – Shamrock Rovers |url=https://indeksonline.net/visar-kastrati-delegohet-nga-uefa-ne-ndeshjen-e-grupeve-te-liges-se-konferences-gent-shamrock-rovers/ |access-date=18 May 2023 |website=Indeksonline |language=sq}}
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.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-05 |title=Në Kosovë, arbitri gjykon dy finale brenda 24 orëve |url=https://www.supersport.al/cudia-ne-kosove-arbitri-gjykon-dy-finale-brenda-24-oreve/ |access-date=2023-06-10 |website=SuperSport}}
In August 2021, he has been a VAR on Kosovo Supercup, which was the first match played with VAR in Kosovo.{{Cite web |date=2021-08-16 |title=FFK-ja nesër inauguron sistemin VAR |url=https://www.koha.net/sport/284399/ffk-ja-neser-inauguron-sistemin-var/ |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=KOHA.net}}{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-08-16 |title=Zyrtarët e ndeshjes së Superkupës |url=https://www.ffk-kosova.com/zyrtaret-e-ndeshjes-se-superkupes/ |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=Federata e Futbollit e Kosovës |language=sq-AL}}
Personal life
Kastrati has a degree of Master of Science in Software Engineering and Telecommunications at the University of Sheffield.{{Cite web |title=UBT News |url=https://moam.info/shkarko-ubt_59d5f6851723ddc5884b148d.html |access-date=18 December 2022 |website=UBT - Higher Education Institution |language=}} 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.{{Cite news |date=6 October 2021 |title=How would VAR work in Scotland? |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/58806792 |access-date=15 May 2023}}{{Cite web |last= |date=11 February 2022 |title=Po vazhdon trajnimi i gjeneratës së dytë për VAR-AVAR |url=http://www.ffk-kosova.com/sot-permbyllet-faza-e-dyte-e-trajnimit-te-gjenerates-se-dyte-per-var-avar/ |access-date=18 May 2023 |website=Football Federation of Kosovo}}