An Albanian soccer club has been expelled from the country's top league and demoted to the third their after a referee was physically attacked during a game.

FK Kamza officials and fans surrounded referee Eldorjan Hamiti and hit him several times at the end of Saturday's league match against KF Laci, which ended 1-1 after the visitors were awarded a penalty in the final minutes.

The Albanian football federation on Wednesday expelled Kamza from this season's championship and ruled it must play in the third division next season. It also fined the club 1 million Leks ($9,000).

Three Kamza club officials were banned from all sport activities for up to three years.

The Albanian soccer federation later suspended league matches following the referee association's decision to boycott because of violence against one of their colleagues.

The federation did not say when matches will resume.

The referee association said it wants police to control stadium security after the "failed experiment" with private firms.