Will it happen or not? This is the dilemma that has lingered for years regarding the construction of a new stadium where the Kosovo national football team would play, as well as host other important local and international sporting events.

The construction of the new stadium was promised to the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games when Kosovo won the right to host them in 2030. However, almost three years have passed since then, and no concrete steps have been taken. In recent months, Hajrulla Çeku, now serving as Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports, stated that an assessment would be made to determine whether the stadium should be built or if it is not currently necessary.

But the situation now seems to have changed. Recently, an international delegation visited Kosovo to inspect the existing sports infrastructure, and their visit will produce recommendations on what needs to be built.

After a meeting with representatives from the Kosovo Olympic Committee, the Municipality of Pristina, and the Ministry of Sports, the delegation reportedly stated that the construction of the new stadium has no alternative and that the opening ceremony of the 2030 Mediterranean Games will take place in the new stadium.

The Secretary General of the Kosovo Olympic Committee, Besim Aliti, told KosovaPress that the construction of the stadium should not even be up for discussion because it will be built.

“When we applied for the Mediterranean Games, we promised the international community that we would build the national stadium. This doesn’t mean the ceremony couldn’t be held without it, because improvisation is possible. At the end of the day, at Sunny Hill we have 30,000 spectators, but that’s not the goal. The goal is that Kosovo needs a national stadium. We have an amazing national football team that impresses every day, and tickets are already selling five months in advance for the match against Switzerland, for example. Kosovo needs a national stadium that offers comfort, easy access, and allows citizens and their families to spend weekends at the stadium, not only for the national team but also for local clubs. Kosovo absolutely needs a national stadium, and this is not up for debate. We will insist that Kosovo has a national stadium,” he said.

The Executive Director of the Agency for Sports at the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports, Fidan Shatri, also confirmed that the construction of the new stadium is an integral part of the “Prishtina 2030” plan and remains a national priority.

“The opening and closing ceremonies will take place in the new stadium. Work on sports infrastructure, including the new stadium, has never stopped. It will be ready for the ‘Prishtina 2030’ Mediterranean Games. At the same time, we are working intensively on the master plan for the Student Center and the Palace of Youth, which will serve the Games, but the opening and closing ceremonies are guaranteed to take place in the new stadium, as outlined in the candidacy book, and this commitment has not been withdrawn,” he emphasized.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff of the Mayor of Pristina, Vllaznim Osmani, expressed optimism about the project, stressing that institutions still have time to finalize the facility before the Mediterranean Games.

“I am very optimistic that the national stadium will be ready in time. Cooperation between local and central institutions, as well as other relevant stakeholders involved in the Games, needs to proceed smoothly. Much valuable time has been lost in achieving this goal, but there is still time,” Osmani said.

Rob Clarke, representing RCAG, the company responsible for planning the Mediterranean Games, emphasized that the stadium issue is one of the most sensitive and influential points in the Games’ organization process.

“I don’t have an answer for you today, but this is undoubtedly one of the topics we have discussed. In the coming weeks and months, recommendations will need to be provided to the organizing committee, because this decision is extremely important not only for the Games but for the country beyond the Games,” Clarke stated.

In addition to the stadium, many sports halls, an Olympic swimming pool, and other sporting facilities are expected to be built or renovated for the organization of the Mediterranean Games.