Kategoria Superiore

History

Early years

Football was first introduced to Albania by an English-Maltese priest named Gut Ruter, who visited the Saverian college in Shkodër in 1908. The first football club in Albania was Indipendenca, founded in Shkodër in 1912 by Palokë Nika. The first 90-minute game with two 45-minute halves was played in October 1913 between Indipendenca Shkodër and the occupying Austro-Hungarian Imperial Navy. The game is considered to be the first international game to be played in Albania, and it ended in a 2–1 loss for Indipendenca, with the captain and founder of the club Palokë Nika scoring the only goal for the Albanians.

World War II championships

Main article: 1939 Albanian National Championship, 1940 Albanian National Championship, 1942 Albanian National Championship

Albania was invaded by Italy in April 1939 and World War II soon broke out, meaning the Albanian Football Association, much like the other organisations in the country, ceased operating. Despite the war, three championships were held between 1939 and 1942, with Tirana winning the championships in 1939 and 1942 and Shkodra winning in 1940. Despite calls to recognise these championships, the Albanian Football Association maintains the position that the championships were not organised by them and cannot be formally recognised.

Names

Records

Most points in a season 84 points. KF Tirana (2004–05)

Most points without winning the league title 79 points. KF Elbasani (2004–05)

First Albanian team to qualify for a European competition proper stage. KF Skenderbeu (2017–18) Europa League

Competition format

Since the 2023-24 season, the league consists of 10 clubs, who face each other four times in a season for a total of 36 matches. At the end of the season, the two lowest-placed teams are relegated to the Kategoria e Parë, while two highest-placed teams of the Kategoria e Parë are promoted in their place. The 8th ranked team qualifies to the play-off round, which they play against the Kategoria e Parë play-off winner. The 4 highest place teams at the end of the season play a knockout tournament with a semi-final and a final. If in the semi-final and the end of 90 minutes the game is tied the winner will be decided by the regular season finish in the table.

Clubs (2025–26)

Current members

The following teams are competing in the Kategoria Superiore during the 2025–26 season.

List of champions

Since 1930, the competition has not been played a total of 9 times: 1935, 1938–44, 1949, 1962. Furthermore, the champion award was not given during the 1968–69 season.

Performance by club

• Tirana and Vllaznia would have accordingly 28 and 10 titles, if the three seasons played during WW2 are officially recognised from AFA.

All time table

The all-time table of football clubs that have participated in the Kategoria Superiore, prior to the 2024–2025 season. The ranking is based on the total accumulated points by each club. Teams in bold are part of the 2024–25 season. In the all-time table are not included the results in the final four round, introduced by 2024–25 season. Teams in bold are part of 2025–2026 season.

UEFA rankings

Current rankings (2024–25)

UEFA Country Ranking for league participation in 2024–25 European football season (Previous year rank in italics).

• 45 [[File:Green-Up-Arrow.svg|15px]] (46) Malta Maltese Premier League
• 46 [[File:Green-Up-Arrow.svg|15px]] (47) Georgia Erovnuli Liga
• 47 [[File:RedDownArrow.svg|15px]] (45) Estonia Meistriliiga
• 48 [[File:Green-Up-Arrow.svg|15px]] (52) Iceland Besta deild karla
• 49 [[File:RedDownArrow.svg|15px]] (43) ALB Kategoria Superiore
• 50 [[File:Neutral icon C.svg|15px]] (50) Wales Cymru Premier
• 51 [[File:Neutral icon C.svg|15px]] (51) Gibraltar Gibraltar Football League
• 52 [[File:RedDownArrow.svg|15px]] (48) North Macedonia Macedonian First Football League
• 53 [[File:Green-Up-Arrow.svg|15px]] (54) Andorra Primera Divisió

References

1. Admir Uruçi. (12 January 2012). "Vioresin Sinani thotë mjaft: E mbyll si futbollist në fund të këtij edicioni". Panorama Sport.
2. Gjergj Kola. "Palokë Nika – personazhi historik i sportit Shqiptar". Shkodra Sport.
3. "Një historik i shkurtër i futbollit në Shkodër". Vllaznia.al.
4. "RSSSF".
5. "Giovanni Armillotta: "Drejt njohjes së tre Kampionate Kombëtare të Luftës: 1939, 1940 dhe 1942"".
6. link. (20 February 2014)
7. (10 September 2021). "Firmoset marrëveshja, Kategoria Superiore do të quhet "Abissnet Superiore" për 3 sezonet e ardhshme". [[Albanian Football Association]].
8. "Kategoria Superiore: Summary". Perform.
9. [https://fshf.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/STATISTIKAT.pdf Shifrat e 79 Kampionateve] {{webarchive. link. (24 January 2019)