Football Superleague of Kosovo

This article is about the top division in men's football in Kosovo. For the top division in women's football in Kosovo, see Women's Football Superleague of Kosovo.

Football Superleague of Kosovo
Organising bodyFFK Competitions Commission
Founded1945 (1945)
as Kosovo Province League
1991 (1991)
as Independent League of Kosovo
First season1945 as Kosovo Province League
1991–92 as Independent League of Kosovo
Country Kosovo
ConfederationUEFA
Number of clubs10
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toKosovo First League
Domestic cup(s)Kosovar Cup
Kosovar Supercup
International cup(s)UEFA Champions League
UEFA Conference League
Current championsDrita (4th title)
(2024–25)
Most championshipsPrishtina (11 titles)
Most appearancesArtan Latifi (493)
Broadcaster(s)ArtMotion via ArtSport and Klan Kosova
WebsiteOfficial website
Current: 2025–26 Football Superleague of Kosovo

The Football Superleague of Kosovo (Albanian: Superliga e Futbollit të Kosovës), officially known as the ALBI MALL Superleague of Kosovo (Albanian: ALBI MALL Superliga e Kosovës) for sponsorship reasons, is the top division of the men's football league system in Kosovo. It is organised by the Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK) and, as of the 2024–25 season, is contested by ten clubs playing a 36-match schedule in which each club meets every other side four times. The two lowest-placed teams are relegated to the Kosovo First League, with two clubs promoted in their place.[1]

The competition traces its roots to the Kosovo Province League, founded in 1945 as a regional division within the Yugoslav football pyramid, and to the parallel Independent League of Kosovo, which Kosovar Albanians organised outside state structures between 1991 and the Kosovo War of 1998–99.[2][3] After 1999 the FFK re-established a unified national championship under the current Superliga name.[4]

Kosovo was admitted to UEFA and FIFA in May 2016, enabling Superleague clubs to enter European competitions.[5][6] Since then, the Superleague champions have qualified for the preliminary and qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League, while other high-placed clubs and the domestic cup winners enter the UEFA Europa Conference League.[7][8] Prishtina are the most successful club with 11 league titles, while Drita won their fourth championship in 2024–25.[2]

In UEFA's association coefficient rankings the Superleague sits in the mid-30s among European top divisions, reflecting improving results by Kosovar clubs in continental competition.[9]

History

Early organised football

Before World War II, clubs from the territory of present-day Kosovo took part in regional competitions organised by the Belgrade Football Subassociation within the Football Association of Yugoslavia. During the period of Italian and later German occupation, when most of Kosovo was attached to the Albanian Kingdom, local teams were integrated into 1942 Albanian National Championship.[10]

Kosovo Province League

In 1945, following Kosovo's reintegration into socialist Yugoslavia, the Kosovo Province League (Albanian: Liga e Provincës së Kosovës) was established as a regional division within the Yugoslav football league system. It brought together leading Kosovar clubs that were not competing at federal level, and its champions could progress into the all-Yugoslav tiers.[2][4] Throughout the socialist period the standard and structure of the league fluctuated, with Kosovar teams occasionally reaching the Yugoslav First or Second Leagues but most clubs remaining at provincial level.[2]

Independent League of Kosovo

In 1991, amid rising ethnic tensions and the removal of Kosovar Albanians from public institutions, the FFK began organising a parallel, unrecognised competition known as the Independent League of Kosovo (Albanian: Liga e Pavarur e Kosovës). In the summer of that year, after Kosovar clubs were effectively pushed out of the Yugoslav league system, local officials reconstituted the Football Federation of Kosovo as an independent body under president Agim Bytyçi and launched the first separate Republic of Kosova championship.[11] Eight of the ten fixtures in the opening round, played on 13–14 September 1991, went ahead on schedule despite difficult conditions, with the remaining matches completed later.[12][11]

Matches in the Independent League were often staged on school pitches and improvised village grounds, as Albanian clubs had been denied access to municipal stadiums, and were seen by participants as a way of maintaining sporting life and national identity under conditions of repression.[3][12] The league operated until the escalation of the Kosovo War in 1998–99, when regular competition became impossible.[4] In 2011 the FFK marked two decades of these parallel structures by publishing the volume Futbolli 1991–2011: 20 vjet mëvetësim, which documents the independent championships and related activities.[11]

Post-war Superleague

After the end of the conflict, the FFK re-established a unified league structure in 1999, with the top division taking the name Superliga e Kosovës. Serbian clubs from northern municipalities continued to participate in the Serbian football system, while the Superleague became the de facto national championship recognised by the FFK.[4]

In the 2000s and early 2010s, Prishtina, Feronikeli and Drenica were among the leading clubs, with Drita and Gjilani also emerging as title contenders. League champions could not enter UEFA competitions until Kosovo was admitted as a member association in 2016.[2][5]

Following UEFA and FIFA recognition, Kosovar teams began appearing regularly in European qualifiers. In June 2018, Drita defeated Santa Coloma in the Champions League preliminary round, recording the first victory by a Kosovan club in the competition.[13] In 2022–23, Ballkani became the first Kosovar side to reach the group stage of a UEFA tournament, qualifying for the Europa Conference League group phase.[14]

Competition format

The Superleague currently consists of ten clubs. Each club plays every other side four times—twice at home and twice away—for a total of 36 matches per team and 180 matches in the season.[1] Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw and none for a loss. League positions are determined by total points, then goal difference and goals scored.[1]

The bottom two teams in the final table are relegated directly to the Kosovo First League, while the champions and runners-up of that division are promoted to the Superleague. Depending on the competition regulations in a given season, an additional promotion/relegation play-off has sometimes been held between a Superleague club and a high-placed First League team.[4]

Clubs (2025–26)

The leаgue consisted of ten teams – the top eight teаms from the previous season, and two teams promoted from the Kosovo First League. Drita entered the season as defending champions.

The promoted teаms were the 2024–25 Kosovo First League Group A winners Drenica who return to the top tier after three years, and Group B winners Prishtina e Re. They replaced the 2024–25 Kosovo Superleague bottom two teams Feronikeli and Suhareka.

Locations of the 2025–26 Football Superleague of Kosovo teams
Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
Club Town Stadium and capacity UEFA
license[15]
Ballkani Suharekë Suva Reka City Stadium 1,500
Drenica Skenderaj Bajram Aliu Stadium 3,000
Drita Gjilan Gjilan Synthetic Grass Stadium[B] 1,500
Dukagjini Klinë 18 June Stadium 3,000
Ferizaj Ferizaj Ferizaj Synthetic Grass Stadium 3,000
Gjilani Gjilan Gjilan Synthetic Grass Stadium[B] 1,500
Llapi Podujevë Zahir Pajaziti Stadium 8,000
Malisheva Malishevë Liman Gegaj Stadium 2,000
Prishtina Prishtinë Fadil Vokrri Stadium 13,000
Prishtina e Re Hajvali Sami Kelmendi Stadium[C] 2,500

Seasons in Superleague

There are 37 teams that have taken part in the Football Superleague of Kosovo since 1999. Prishtina is the only team that has played in every season since 1999. As of 2025/26 season; teams in bold are part of current season.

Superleague clubs in European competitions

Main article: Kosovo football clubs in European competitions

Since Kosovo joined UEFA in 2016, the Superleague champions have entered the preliminary and qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League, while league runners-up and domestic cup winners qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League.[8][7] Clubs must obtain a UEFA licence from the FFK to participate in European competitions.[7]

Drita's preliminary-round win over Santa Coloma in 2018 was the first Champions League victory for a Kosovan side.[13] In 2022 Ballkani reached the Europa Conference League group stage, the first time a team from Kosovo progressed to the main phase of a UEFA club competition, and repeated the achievement in subsequent seasons.[14] Their performances, together with qualifying rounds reached by clubs such as Drita, Prishtina and Feronikeli, have helped improve Kosovo's position in the UEFA association coefficient rankings.[9]

Champions

This is a list of winners of Football Superleague of Kosovo since 1945.[2]

Media and sponsorship

From the late 2000s the league has usually carried the name of a title sponsor. The competition’s official designation since 1999 has been Superliga e Futbollit të Kosovës (Football Superleague of Kosovo), but for sponsorship reasons it has been marketed at different times as the:

Name Period Notes
Albanian English
Raiffeisen Superliga e Kosovës Raiffeisen Superleague of Kosovo 2008–2016 Sponsored by Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo, a subsidiary
of the Raiffeisen Bank International.
Vala Superliga e Kosovës Vala Superleague of Kosovo 2016–2018 Sponsored by Kosovo Telecom.[18]
IPKO Superliga e Kosovës IPKO Superleague of Kosovo 2018–2020 Sponsored by IPKO.[19]
BKT Superliga e Kosovës BKT Superleague of Kosovo 2021–2022 Sponsored by Banka Kombëtare Tregtare.[20]
ALBI MALL Superliga e Kosovës ALBI MALL Superleague of Kosovo 2022–present Sponsored by Albi Mall, a subsidiary of the Albi Commerce.[21]

Television rights to the Superleague are held by cable operator ArtMotion via ArtSport and free-to-air channel Klan Kosova under an agreement signed with the FFK in 2023. Matches are broadcast live or in delayed coverage across the two networks, while public broadcaster RTK has shown highlight programmes.[22]

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ^ Drita and Gjilani use this stadium together and have named the stadium with different names. Drita and their fans named the stadium as Selami Osmani-Bezi Stadium, while Gjilan and their fans named the stadium as Agim Ramadani Stadium, but officially the stadium is named Gjilan City Stadium.[16]
  2. ^ a b Drita and Gjilani will play their home matches at the Gjilan Synthetic Grass Stadium, instead of their regular stadium Gjilan City Stadium,[A] which was under reconstruction.
  3. ^ Prishtina e Re will play their home matches at the Sami Kelmendi Stadium, instead of their regular stadium FFK National Educational Camp,[17] which was under reconstruction.
  4. ^ It was one of the leagues forming the fourth level of the Yugoslav football league system. The champion would gain promotion to Yugoslav Inter-Republic League East, one of Yugoslav third tiers.
  5. ^ Unrecognised competition parallel to Serbian league system.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Superliga – Kosovo". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Kosovo – List of Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Mediumi britanik: Si ndihmoi futbolli rebel në ruajtjen e identitetit kosovar gjatë luftës së Jugosllavisë". Zëri (in Albanian). 28 May 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Historia e Federatës së Futbollit të Kosovës" (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Football Federation of Kosovo joins UEFA". UEFA. 3 May 2016. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  6. ^ "Futbolli i Kosovës më në fund në UEFA dhe FIFA". Deutsche Welle (in Albanian). 3 May 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  7. ^ a b c "Këto janë klubet e licencuara për garat evropiane". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 25 May 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  8. ^ a b "UEFA club competitions 2024–27: Access list 2024–25" (PDF). UEFA. 17 July 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  9. ^ a b "Kosovo – Country Ranking and Prize Money". Ranking & Prize. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  10. ^ "Historia e futbollit në Kosovë para dhe gjatë Luftës së Dytë Botërore". Koha Ditore (in Albanian). 14 April 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  11. ^ a b c "Futbolli 1991–2011: 20 vjet mëvetësim" (PDF) (in Albanian). Federata e Futbollit e Kosovës. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Kush ishin laureatët e parë mëvetësimit të futbollit të Kosovës". Bota Sot (in Albanian). 10 November 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Drita historike, fiton ndeshjen e parë në Ligën e Kampionëve". Kosova Sot (in Albanian). 26 June 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  14. ^ a b "Kosovo club Ballkani makes history in European competition". Euronews. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  15. ^ "10 klube e kalojnë me sukses procesin e licencimit për garat evropiane" [10 clubs successfully pass the licensing process for European competitions] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 2 May 2025.
  16. ^ "Çfarë emri duhet të ketë stadiumi i qytetit në Gjilan" [What should be the name of the city stadium in Gjilan]. RajoniPress (in Albanian). 31 January 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  17. ^ "Stadiumi "Sami Kelmendi", shtëpia e Prishtinës së Re për sezonin 2025/26" [Sami Kelmendi Stadium, the home of Prishtina e Re for the 2025/26 season]. teve1.info (in Albanian). 20 August 2025.
  18. ^ "Vala sponzoron Superligën e Kosovës" [Vala sponsors the Kosovo Super League] (in Albanian). Bota Sot. 18 August 2016. Archived from the original on 20 January 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  19. ^ "IPKO, sponsor gjeneral i Kombëtares së Kosovës në Futboll dhe i Super Ligës së Kosovës në Futboll" [IPKO, general sponsor of the Kosovo national football team and the Kosovo Superleague in football] (in Albanian). IPKO. 9 August 2018. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  20. ^ "Banka Kombëtare Tregtare sponsor gjeneral i Superligës së Kosovës në futboll" [Banka Kombëtare Tregtare general sponsor of the Kosovo Superleague in football] (in Albanian). Football Superleague of Kosovo. 30 August 2021. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  21. ^ "ALBI MALL sponsor gjeneral i Superligës së Kosovës në futboll" [ALBI MALL general sponsor of the Kosovo Superleague in football] (in Albanian). Football Superleague of Kosovo. 18 August 2022. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  22. ^ "FFK dhe ArtMotion nënshkruajnë marrëveshje për të drejtat televizive të Superligës". KosovaPress (in Albanian). 7 August 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
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