Kategoria Superiore

Kategoria Superiore, 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).

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.

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
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.

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 with be decided by the regular season finish in the table.

Current members
The following teams are competing in the Kategoria Superiore during the 2024–25 season.

List of champions
{{legend|#f4f1d7|Group tournament format|border=#AAAAAA}}{{legend|#e2d6d0|Season was not played|border=#AAAAAA}} {{legend|#e1e5df|Season is not officially recognised|border=#AAAAAA}} 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 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. {{legend|#dce4e8|Club was disbanded|border=#AAAAAA}}

Current rankings (2024–25)
UEFA Country Ranking for league participation in 2024–25 European football season (Previous year rank in italics).
 * 45 Green-Up-Arrow.svg (46) 🇲🇹 Maltese Premier League
 * 46 Green-Up-Arrow.svg (47) Erovnuli Liga
 * 47 RedDownArrow.svg (45) 🇪🇪 Meistriliiga
 * 48 Green-Up-Arrow.svg (52) 🇮🇸 Besta deild karla
 * 49 RedDownArrow.svg (43) 🇦🇱 Kategoria Superiore
 * 50 Neutral icon C.svg (50) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Cymru Premier
 * 51 Neutral icon C.svg (51) 🇬🇮 Gibraltar Football League
 * 52 RedDownArrow.svg (48) Macedonian First Football League
 * 53 Green-Up-Arrow.svg (54) 🇦🇩 Primera Divisió

Notes and references

 * Notes


 * References