Kategoria Superiore

(Redirected from Albanian Superliga)

Kategoria Superiore (transl. Superior Category), also known as Abissnet Superiore for sponsorship reasons with internet service provider, Abissnet, is a professional league for men's association football clubs in Albania. At the top of the Albanian football league system, it is the country's premier football competition. It is contested by 10 clubs, and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Kategoria e Parë. Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 36 matches each (playing each team in the league four times, twice at home and twice away).

Abissnet Superiore
Organising bodyAlbanian Football Federation (FSHF)
Founded1911; 113 years ago (1911) (unofficial)
6 June 1930; 94 years ago (1930-06-06) (current form)
CountryAlbania
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams10 (since 2014–15)
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toKategoria e Parë
Domestic cup(s)Albanian Cup
Albanian Supercup
International cup(s)UEFA Champions League
UEFA Conference League
Current championsEgnatia (1st title)
(2023–24)
Most championshipsTirana (26 titles)
Top goalscorerVioresin Sinani (207 goals)[a]
TV partnersRTSH
Websitefshf.org/abissnet-superiore
Current: 2024–25 Kategoria Superiore

The competition was founded in 1911 as the Albanian National Championship before the independence of Albania as a Knockout format. In 1930, it was officially recognised by FSHF during the reign of King Zog. Since 1930, 45 clubs have competed in recognised competitions, while only ten clubs have won the title: Tirana (26), Dinamo Tirana (18), Partizani (17), Vllaznia (9), Skënderbeu (8), Elbasani (2), Teuta (2), Flamurtari (1), Egnatia (1) and Kukësi (1). The current champions are Egnatia, who won their 1st title in 2023–24.

History

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Early years

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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.[2] 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.[2][3]

World War II championships

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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.[4][5][6]

Names

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Name Period Notes
Albanian English
Kampionati Kombëtar Shqiptar Albanian National Championship 1930–2003
Kategoria Superiore Superior Category 2003–present The official name, even though from 2021 for
sponsorship reasons the name changes.
Abissnet Superiore 2021–present Sponsored by Abissnet.[7]

Records

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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

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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 (2024–25)

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Current members

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The following teams are competing in the Kategoria Superiore during the 2024–25 season.[8]

Club Position
in 2023–24
Bylis 2nd (Kategoria e Parë)
Dinamo City 7th
Egnatia 1st
Elbasani 1st (Kategoria e Parë)
Laçi 8th
Partizani 2nd
Skënderbeu 4th
Teuta 6th
Tirana 5th
Vllaznia 3rd

List of champions

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  Group tournament format
  Season was not played
  Season is not officially recognised
Season Champion Runner-up Third place Top scorer(s) Goals
1911 Tirana Peqini Knockout format
1930 Tirana (1) Skënderbeu Bashkimi Shkodran Selman Stërmasi 5
1931 Tirana (2) Teuta Uneven group format Teli Samsuri 9
1932 Tirana (3) Bashkimi Shkodran Teuta Selman Stërmasi 11
1933 Skënderbeu (1) Bashkimi Shkodran Teuta Teofik Agaj 7
1934 Tirana (4) Skënderbeu Bashkimi Shkodran Mark Gurashi 22
1935 Season was not played
1936 Tirana (5) Vllaznia Besa Riza Lushta 11
1937 Tirana (6) Vllaznia Besa Riza Lushta 25
1938 Season was not played
1939 Season played, but not officially recognised
1940 Season played, but not officially recognised
1941 Season was not played
1942 Season played, but not officially recognised
1943 Season was not played
1944 Season was not played
1945 Vllaznia (1) Tirana Besa Xhevdet Shaqiri 9
1946 Vllaznia (2) Flamurtari 17 Nëntori Xhevdet Shaqiri 11
1947 Partizani (1) Vllaznia Dinamo Korçë Zihni Gjinali 13
1948 Partizani (2) Flamurtari Uneven group format Zihni Gjinali 12
1949 Partizani (3) Vllaznia Ylli i Kuq Durrës Zihni Gjinali 14
1950 Dinamo Tirana (1) Partizani Shkodra Loro Boriçi 6
1951 Dinamo Tirana (2) Partizani Puna Tiranë Refik Resmja 59
1952 Dinamo Tirana (3) Partizani Uneven group format Refik Resmja 10
1953 Dinamo Tirana (4) Partizani Puna Tiranë Refik Resmja 9
1954 Partizani (4) Dinamo Tirana Puna Tiranë Refik Resmja 13
1955 Dinamo Tirana (5) Partizani Puna Tiranë Refik Resmja 14
1956 Dinamo Tirana (6) Partizani Puna Tiranë Refik Resmja 17
1957 Partizani (5) Dinamo Tirana Puna Korçë Niko Bespalla 12
1958 Partizani (6) Besa 17 Nëntori Skënder Jareci 13
1959 Partizani (7) 17 Nëntori Flamurtari Panajot Pano 9
1960 Dinamo Tirana (7) Partizani 17 Nëntori Skënder Jareci 13
1961 Partizani (8) Dinamo Tirana 17 Nëntori Panajot Pano 14
1962–63 Partizani (9) Dinamo Tirana Besa Panajot Pano 12
1963–64 Partizani (10) Dinamo City Besa Robert Jashari 18
1964–65 17 Nëntori (7) Partizani Dinamo Tirana Robert Jashari 19
1965–66 17 Nëntori (8) Partizani Dinamo Tirana Iljaz Çeço 12
1966–67 Dinamo Tirana (8) 17 Nëntori Besa Josif Kazanxhi 17
1968 17 Nëntori (9) Partizani Dinamo Tirana Medin Zhega 19
1969–70 17 Nëntori (10) Partizani Vllaznia Skënder Hyka 19
1970–71 Partizani (11) Dinamo Tirana Vllaznia Panajot Pano 18
1971–72 Vllaznia (3) 17 Nëntori Dinamo Tirana Ilir Përnaska 19
1972–73 Dinamo Tirana (9) Partizani Besa Ilir Përnaska 17
1973–74 Vllaznia (4) Partizani Besa Ilir Përnaska 12
1974–75 Dinamo Tirana (10) Vllaznia Partizani Ilir Përnaska 16
1975–76 Dinamo Tirana (11) 17 Nëntori Vllaznia Ilir Përnaska 19
1976–77 Dinamo Tirana (12) Skënderbeu Vllaznia Ilir Përnaska 17
1977–78 Vllaznia (5) Luftëtari Partizani Agim Murati 12
1978–79 Partizani (12) 17 Nëntori Besa Agim Murati 13
1979–80 Dinamo Tirana (13) 17 Nëntori Vllaznia Përparim Kovaçi 18
1980–81 Partizani (13) Dinamo Tirana 17 Nëntori Dashnor Bajaziti 12
1981–82 17 Nëntori (11) Flamurtari Dinamo Tirana Vasil Ruci 12
1982–83 Vllaznia (6) Partizani 17 Nëntori Dashnor Bajaziti 16
1983–84 Labinoti (1) 17 Nëntori Partizani Vasil Ruçi 12
1984–85 17 Nëntori (12) Dinamo Tirana Vllaznia Arben Minga, Faslli Fakja 13
1985–86 Dinamo Tirana (14) Flamurtari 17 Nëntori Kujtim Majaci 20
1986–87 Partizani (14) Flamurtari Vllaznia Arben Arbëri 14
1987–88 17 Nëntori (13) Flamurtari Labinoti Agustin Kola 18
1988–89 17 Nëntori (14) Partizani Dinamo Tirana Agustin Kola 19
1989–90 Dinamo Tirana (15) Partizani Flamurtari Kujtim Majaci 19
1990–91 Flamurtari (1) Partizani Besa Kliton Bozgo 29
1991–92 Vllaznia (7) Partizani Teuta Edmir Bilali 22
1992–93 Partizani (15) Teuta Besa Edmond Dosti 21
1993–94 Teuta (1) Tirana Flamurtari Edi Martini 14
1994–95 Tirana (15) Teuta Partizani Arben Shehu 21
1995–96 Tirana (16) Teuta Partizani Altin Çuko 21
1996–97 Tirana (17) Vllaznia Flamurtari Viktor Paço 14
1997–98 Vllaznia (8) Tirana Partizani Dorjan Bubeqi 26
1998–99 Tirana (18) Vllaznia Bylis Artan Bano 23
1999–00 Tirana (19) Tomori Teuta Klodian Arbëri 18
2000–01 Vllaznia (9) Tirana Dinamo Tirana Indrit Fortuzi 30
2001–02 Dinamo Tirana (16) Tirana Partizani Indrit Fortuzi 24
2002–03 Tirana (20) Vllaznia Partizani Mahir Halili 20
2003–04 Tirana (21) Dinamo Tirana Vllaznia Vioresin Sinani 36
2004–05 Tirana (22) Elbasani Dinamo Tirana Dorian Bylykbashi 24
2005–06 Elbasani (2) Tirana Dinamo Tirana Hamdi Salihi 29
2006–07 Tirana (23) Teuta Vllaznia Vioresin Sinani 23
2007–08 Dinamo Tirana (17) Partizani Besa Vioresin Sinani 20
2008–09 Tirana (24) Vllaznia Dinamo Tirana Migen Memelli 22
2009–10 Dinamo Tirana (18) Besa Tirana Daniel Xhafaj 18
2010–11 Skënderbeu (2) Flamurtari Vllaznia Daniel Xhafaj 18
2011–12 Skënderbeu (3) Teuta Tirana Roland Dervishi 20
2012–13 Skënderbeu (4) Kukësi Teuta Migen Memelli 19
2013–14 Skënderbeu (5) Kukësi Laçi Pero Pejić 20
2014–15 Skënderbeu (6) Kukësi Partizani Pero Pejić 31
2015–16 Skënderbeu (7) Partizani Kukësi Hamdi Salihi 27
2016–17 Kukësi (1) Partizani Skënderbeu Pero Pejić 27
2017–18 Skënderbeu (8) Kukësi Luftëtari Ali Sowe 21
2018–19 Partizani (16) Kukësi Teuta Reginaldo 13
2019–20 Tirana (25) Kukësi Laçi Kyrian Nwabueze 23
2020–21 Teuta (2) Vllaznia Partizani Dejvi Bregu 16
2021–22 Tirana (26) Laçi Partizani Saliou Guindo
Taulant Seferi
19
2022–23 Partizani (17) KF Tirana Egnatia Florent Hasani 16
2023–24 Egnatia (1) Partizani Skënderbeu Bekim Balaj 18
2024–25

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

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Club Champions Runners up Third places Seasons
Tirana

  

26*
14
14
1930, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1939,[b] 1942,[b] 1964–65, 1965–66, 1968, 1969–70, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999-2000, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2019–20, 2021–22
Dinamo City

 

18
9
10
1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1960, 1966–67, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1979–80, 1985–86, 1989–90, 2001–02, 2007–08, 2009–10
Partizani

 

17
22
11
1947, 1948, 1949, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1970–71, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1986–87, 1992–93, 2018–19, 2022–23
Vllaznia
9*
12
13
1940,[b] 1945, 1946, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1982–83, 1991–92, 1997–98, 2000–01
Skënderbeu
8
3
4
1933, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18
Teuta
2
6
7
1993–94, 2020–21
Elbasani
2
1
1
1983–84, 2005–06
Flamurtari
1
7
4
1990–91
Kukësi
1
6
1
2016–17
Egnatia
1
-
1
2023–24
Besa
-
2
12
-
Laçi
-
1
2
-
Luftëtari
-
1
1
-
Tomori
-
1
-
-
Bylis
-
-
1
-
  • 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

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The all-time table of football clubs that have participated in the Kategoria Superiore, prior to the 2023–2024 season. The ranking is based on the total accumulated points by each club. Teams in bold are part of the 2024–25 season.[9]

  Club was disbanded
No. Club Apps. Matches Wins Ties Losses Goals +/- GDif. Points Titles
1 Tirana 84 2132 1092 554 486 3494:1922 +1572 3182 26
2 Partizani 71 1814 1104 364 315 3200:1576 +1624 2895 17
3 Vllaznia 83 2099 954 508 659 3308:2162 +1146 2802 9
4 Teuta 83 2124 789 603 753 2128:2366 -238 2460 2
5 Dinamo City 63 1787 871 486 402 2822:1609 +1223 2425 18
6 Flamurtari 73 1906 663 516 727 2150:2320 -170 2060 1
7 Skënderbeu 67 1601 539 417 635 1710:1943 -233 1732 8
8 Besa 63 1575 542 444 589 1790:1908 -118 1670
9 Elbasani 65 1593 513 423 654 1673:2029 -356 1626 2
10 Lushnja 41 1139 299 326 511 1069:1559 -490 1046
11 Luftëtari 43 1132 322 270 550 1047:1616 -569 1014
12 Laçi 24 783 293 184 306 867:948 -81 1005
13 Tomori 44 1052 297 321 471 1026:1487 -461 938
14 Apolonia 37 989 277 232 465 984:1505 -521 879
15 Shkumbini 18 553 211 107 228 660:708 -48 713
16 Kukësi 12 419 192 106 115 567:412 +155 681 1
17 Bylis 16 484 151 123 211 517:638 -121 570
18 Kastrioti 15 494 155 107 231 469:660 -191 527
19 Besëlidhja 22 575 148 167 260 556:721 -165 497
20 Naftëtari 16 384 90 109 185 322:635 -313 289
21 Shkëndija 10 258 68 87 103 217:283 -66 223
22 Egnatia 4 144 47 37 60 153:167 -14 178 1
23 Erzeni 8 170 37 47 86 169:313 -144 155
24 Albpetrol 6 167 49 33 85 158:259 -101 136
25 Pogradeci 9 210 38 39 133 167:466 -299 118
26 Sopoti 4 112 36 25 51 107:150 -43 110
27 Kamza 4 98 23 21 54 72:139 -67 90
28 Burreli 5 109 23 23 63 96:183 -87 77
29 Luftëtari Tiranë 5 50 19 7 24 60:64 -4 45
30 Spartaku Tiranë 3 66 10 17 39 68:132 -64 37
31 Spartaku Shkodër 2 38 12 10 16 45:82 -37 34
32 Dinamo Shkodër 1 30 13 7 10 46:41 +5 33
33 Dinamo Durrës 3 40 8 13 19 30:71 -41 29
34 Selenica 1 30 10 7 13 33:54 -21 27
35 Gramozi 1 33 6 8 19 25:43 -18 26
36 Kombinati Tiranë 2 30 7 11 12 28:39 -11 25
37 Korabi 2 58 3 13 42 21:116 -95 21
38 Tërbuni 1 36 4 6 26 22:81 -59 18
39 Dinamo Vlorë 1 20 6 4 10 19:48 -29 16
40 Iliria 1 30 7 2 21 22:64 -42 16
41 24 Maj Përmet 1 26 4 5 1 9:44 -35 13
42 Ylli Shkodër 1 10 5 1 4 29:15 +14 11
43 Liria Korçë 1 10 3 2 5 16:15 +1 8
44 Studenti 1 26 1 6 19 9:43 -34 8
45 Spartaku Korçë 1 12 2 1 9 10:45 -35 5

UEFA rankings

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Current rankings (2024–25)

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

See also

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Notes and references

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Notes
  1. ^ 208 goals acccoring to Albanian media.[1]
  2. ^ a b c Not yet officially recognized from Albanian Football Association.
References
  1. ^ Admir Uruçi (12 January 2012). "Vioresin Sinani thotë mjaft: E mbyll si futbollist në fund të këtij edicioni" [Vioresin Sinani says enough: I finish as a player at the end of the season] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  2. ^ a b Gjergj Kola. "Palokë Nika – personazhi historik i sportit Shqiptar" (in Albanian). Shkodra Sport. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  3. ^ "Një historik i shkurtër i futbollit në Shkodër" (in Albanian). Vllaznia.al. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  4. ^ RSSSF
  5. ^ "Giovanni Armillotta: "Drejt njohjes së tre Kampionate Kombëtare të Luftës: 1939, 1940 dhe 1942"".
  6. ^ AFA's General Assembly: War championships are not legitimate Archived 20 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Firmoset marrëveshja, Kategoria Superiore do të quhet "Abissnet Superiore" për 3 sezonet e ardhshme" [The agreement is signed, the Kategoria Superiore will be called "Abissnet Superiore" for the next 3 seasons] (in Albanian). Albanian Football Association. 10 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Kategoria Superiore: Summary". Soccerway. Perform. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  9. ^ Shifrat e 79 Kampionateve Archived 24 January 2019 at the Wayback Machine