Football in Albania
Encyclopedia
Football is the most popular Sport in Albania, both at a participatory and spectator level. The Sport is governed by the Football Association of Albania
(F.SH.F.)
as the top division, and this is now Albanian Football's second tier. Below this is Second Division
, which is divided geographically into A & B.
The winners of the league are entitled to compete in the UEFA Champions League
at the First qualifying round stage. The runners-up are entitled to compete in the UEFA Cup
, also at the First qualifying round stage. KF Tirana hold the record for Albanian league titles, with 24.
, which is the country's main knockout cup competition, was established in 1939. The winners are entitled to compete in the UEFA Cup
, at the First qualifying round stage. The most successful team in this competition, KF Partizani Tirana
, has won the cup 15 times.
The Albanian Supercup
, which started in 1989, is a single match played at the beginning of the season between the winners of the Superliga and the Albanian Cup. The most successful team in this competition, KF Tirana, has won 9 times.
in 1946. In 1932, Albania had already joined FIFA
(during the congress 12 June - 16 June) and in 1954 it was one of the founding members of UEFA
. Albania was invited to play in the 1934 World Cup
, but did not take part due to logistical problems.
In addition to the senior football team, the national association places great importance on youth development work. There are championships at various age levels, including U-18, U-16, U-14, U-12 and U-10, while each club in the top 2 divisions is obliged to have a structured youth development programme in place. Moreover, there are regional select teams for all age levels. Albanian Football celebrated its greatest day on 29 March 2003, when the national team
defeated Russia
3-1 in a EURO 2004 qualifying match in Tirana
. Albanian teams have also recorded impressive results in the past, but major success has not yet come Albania's way. Albanian footballers are in great demand abroad. Some 200 Albanian players play their trade in a number of top leagues in Europe.
The most famous player at the moment is Lorik Cana
, Ex-captain of Sunderland in Premier League, England.
. The game increased in popularity and by 1919 the first club, KS Vllaznia Shkodër
had been founded. In 1920 SK Tirana
was also founded, other towns and cities followed suit and on 6 June 1930 the Football Association of Albania
(FSF) was established. The association became a member of football's governing body FIFA
in 1932, and joined the UEFA
in 1954 as a founding member.
A domestic championship began in 1930 with 6 teams. KF Tirana were the inaugural winners. They, together with such sides are KS Dinamo Tirana
, Vllaznia Shkodër and FK Partizani, have continued to dominate the Albanian scene until the present day. The years following World War II
saw a new political order, with the introduction of a communist system which had a positive impact as far as the game's appeal was concerned. Football became popularised. Its infrastructure grew stronger as the game was organised and developed in state enterprises, schools, villages and towns. New institutional clubs were founded such as Partizani Tirana (1946) and Dinamo Tirana (1950) (governed respectively by Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Internal Affairs). Until 1990 they were privileged in relation to the other clubs as they were able to get players from other teams.
From 1991, there were crucial political and economic changes that had a tremendous effect on the nation, as the centralised economy and political system came to an end. The result for the country's footballers was an opportunity to play their trade on foreign fields. Neighbouring Greece and the Balkan states were popular destinations for players who were good enough to go abroad.
Football Association of Albania
The Albanian Football Association is the governing body of football in Albania. It organizes the national football's league Albanian Superliga, the Albania national football team, and the Albania national under-21 football team...
(F.SH.F.)
League system
The Albanian league is split into 4 divisions. The Albanian Superliga was formed in 1930. In 1998 took his current name and is the highest level of Albanian Football. It currently comprises 12 teams. The Superliga displaced the First DivisionAlbanian First Division
The Albanian First Division is the second level of association football in Albania. The league was first created with the name Kategoria e Dytë and has also been named Kategoria A2 in recent years....
as the top division, and this is now Albanian Football's second tier. Below this is Second Division
Albanian Second Division
Kategoria e Dytë is the third level of football in Albania. Kategoria e Dytë has two groups, A and B that are divided geographically. Each group has 12 teams.-Group A:*KF Fieri*KF Erzeni Shijak*KF Luzi 2008*KF Naftëtari*KF Olimpik Tirana...
, which is divided geographically into A & B.
The winners of the league are entitled to compete in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
at the First qualifying round stage. The runners-up are entitled to compete in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
, also at the First qualifying round stage. KF Tirana hold the record for Albanian league titles, with 24.
Cup competitions
The Albanian Football CupKupa e shqipërisë
The Albanian football Cup is the main "knockout" competition in Albanian football. The competition started in 1939 as "Kupa e Mbretit" . Just after a year the cup was suspended as the Second World War started. It started again in 1948 as "Kupa e Republikes"...
, which is the country's main knockout cup competition, was established in 1939. The winners are entitled to compete in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
, at the First qualifying round stage. The most successful team in this competition, KF Partizani Tirana
KF Partizani Tirana
Futboll Klub or Klubi Sportiv Partizani is an Albanian football club, playing in the capital, Tirana, and founded in 1946. Their first participation in the Albanian National Championship was in 1947....
, has won the cup 15 times.
The Albanian Supercup
Albanian Supercup
The Albanian Supercup of football has been played since 1989. It is a single match at the beginning of the season between the winners of the Albanian First Division and Albanian Cup. Every match has been played in the National Stadium of Tirana....
, which started in 1989, is a single match played at the beginning of the season between the winners of the Superliga and the Albanian Cup. The most successful team in this competition, KF Tirana, has won 9 times.
The Albania national team
Founded on 6 June 1930, Albania had to wait 16 years to play its first international match, which was against YugoslaviaYugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
in 1946. In 1932, Albania had already joined FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
(during the congress 12 June - 16 June) and in 1954 it was one of the founding members of UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
. Albania was invited to play in the 1934 World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
, but did not take part due to logistical problems.
In addition to the senior football team, the national association places great importance on youth development work. There are championships at various age levels, including U-18, U-16, U-14, U-12 and U-10, while each club in the top 2 divisions is obliged to have a structured youth development programme in place. Moreover, there are regional select teams for all age levels. Albanian Football celebrated its greatest day on 29 March 2003, when the national team
Albania national football team
The Albania national association football team is the national association football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania...
defeated Russia
Russia national football team
The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...
3-1 in a EURO 2004 qualifying match in Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
. Albanian teams have also recorded impressive results in the past, but major success has not yet come Albania's way. Albanian footballers are in great demand abroad. Some 200 Albanian players play their trade in a number of top leagues in Europe.
The most famous player at the moment is Lorik Cana
Lorik Cana
Lorik Cana is an Albanian footballer, who plays for Lazio as a defensive midfielder and the Albania national football team. He is the captain for Albania at international level...
, Ex-captain of Sunderland in Premier League, England.
History of football in Albania
Football arrived in Albania at the beginning of the 20th century. The first recorded match was between students at a Christian mission in ShkodërShkodër
Shkodër , is a city located on Lake of Shkoder in northwestern Albania in the District of Shkodër, of which it is the capital. It is one of the oldest and most historic towns in Albania, as well as an important cultural and economic centre. Shkodër's estimated population is 90,000; if the...
. The game increased in popularity and by 1919 the first club, KS Vllaznia Shkodër
KS Vllaznia Shkodër
Klub Futboll Vllaznia Shkodër is an Albanian football club based in Shkodër. KF Vllaznia have been Albanian champions nine times and won the National Cup six times, the last success coming at the end of the 2007–08 season, after a long 21 year drought in the competition...
had been founded. In 1920 SK Tirana
SK Tirana
KF Tirana is the most successful Albanian football club earning 47 major trophies in the country and is branch of Multiple Sport Klub of Tirana . KF Tirana is the most popular football club in the country with a considerable number of supporters...
was also founded, other towns and cities followed suit and on 6 June 1930 the Football Association of Albania
Football Association of Albania
The Albanian Football Association is the governing body of football in Albania. It organizes the national football's league Albanian Superliga, the Albania national football team, and the Albania national under-21 football team...
(FSF) was established. The association became a member of football's governing body FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
in 1932, and joined the UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
in 1954 as a founding member.
A domestic championship began in 1930 with 6 teams. KF Tirana were the inaugural winners. They, together with such sides are KS Dinamo Tirana
KS Dinamo Tirana
Klubi Sportiv Dinamo Tirana is an Albanian football team, playing in the Albanian capital of Tirana, founded in 1950. They play at the Stadiumi Qemal Stafa which has a capacity of 25,000. Their main rivals are fellow Tirana team KF Tirana.- History :...
, Vllaznia Shkodër and FK Partizani, have continued to dominate the Albanian scene until the present day. The years following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
saw a new political order, with the introduction of a communist system which had a positive impact as far as the game's appeal was concerned. Football became popularised. Its infrastructure grew stronger as the game was organised and developed in state enterprises, schools, villages and towns. New institutional clubs were founded such as Partizani Tirana (1946) and Dinamo Tirana (1950) (governed respectively by Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Internal Affairs). Until 1990 they were privileged in relation to the other clubs as they were able to get players from other teams.
From 1991, there were crucial political and economic changes that had a tremendous effect on the nation, as the centralised economy and political system came to an end. The result for the country's footballers was an opportunity to play their trade on foreign fields. Neighbouring Greece and the Balkan states were popular destinations for players who were good enough to go abroad.