Kategoria Superiore (), also known as Abissnet Superiore for sponsorship reasons, is a top professional league for men's association football clubs in the Albanian football league system. 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 (playing each team twice at home and twice away).
The competition was founded in 1930 as the Albanian National Championship during the reign of King Zog, shortly after the creation of the Albanian Football Association. Since 1930, 45 clubs have competed in recognised competitions, while only ten clubs have won the title: Tirana (29), Dinamo Tirana (18), Partizani (17), Vllaznia (9), Skënderbeu (8), Egnatia (3), Elbasani (2), Teuta (2), Flamurtari (1) and Kukësi (1). The current champions are Egnatia, who won their 3rd title in 2025–26.
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
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.AFA's General Assembly: War championships are not legitimate
Names NamePeriodNotesAlbanianEnglishKampionati Kombëtar ShqiptarAlbanian National Championship1930–2003Kategoria SuperioreSuperior Category2003–presentThe official name, even though from 2021 forsponsorship reasons the name changes.Abissnet Superiore2021–presentSponsored by Abissnet.
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 2026–27 season, the league consists of 10 clubs, who face each other three times in a season for a total of 27 matches. At the completion of the three phases, the teams are divided into two groups, based on the final ranking. The points accumulated during the regular phase are halved before the start of the play-off and play-out phases. The six teams ranked in the first places qualify for the play-off phase, where they play matches in a home-and-away system, with a total of 10 weeks of competition. The four teams ranked in the last places (from 7th place to 10th place) will participate in the play-out phase, where they will also play in a home-and-away system, in a total of 9 weeks of competition. The lowest-placed team is relegated to the Kategoria e Parë, while two highest-placed teams of the Kategoria e Parë are promoted in their place. The 9th ranked team qualifies to the play-off round, which they play against the Kategoria e Parë play-off loser.
Clubs (2026–27)
Current members The following teams are competing in the Kategoria Superiore during the 2026–27 season. Club Positionin 2026–27 Dinamo City Egnatia Elbasani Laçi Partizani Skënderbeu Teuta Tirana Vora Vllaznia
List of champions
Season Champion Runner-up Third place Top scorer(s) Goals1930 Tirana (1) Skënderbeu Bashkimi Shkodran Selman Stërmasi51931 Tirana (2) Teuta Skënderbeu Teli Samsuri91932 Tirana (3) Bashkimi Shkodran Teuta Selman Stërmasi111933 Skënderbeu (1) Bashkimi Shkodran Teuta Teofik Agaj71934 Tirana (4) Skënderbeu Bashkimi Shkodran Mark Gurashi22Season was not played1936 Tirana (5) Vllaznia Besa Riza Lushta 111937 Tirana (6) Vllaznia Besa Riza Lushta25Season was not played1939Season played, but not officially recognised1940Season played, but not officially recognisedSeason was not played1942Season played, but not officially recognisedSeason was not playedSeason was not played1945 Vllaznia (1) Tirana Besa Xhevdet Shaqiri91946 Vllaznia (2) Flamurtari 17 Nëntori Xhevdet Shaqiri 111947 Partizani (1) Vllaznia Dinamo Korçë Zihni Gjinali 131948 Partizani (2) Flamurtari Bashkimi Elbasanas Zihni Gjinali121949 Partizani (3) Vllaznia Ylli i Kuq Durrës Zihni Gjinali141950 Dinamo Tirana (1) Partizani Shkodra Loro Boriçi61951 Dinamo Tirana (2) Partizani Puna Tiranë Refik Resmja591952 Dinamo Tirana (3) Partizani Puna Shkodër Refik Resmja101953 Dinamo Tirana (4) Partizani Puna Tiranë Refik Resmja91954 Partizani (4) Dinamo Tirana Puna Tiranë Refik Resmja131955 Dinamo Tirana (5) Partizani Puna Tiranë Refik Resmja 141956 Dinamo Tirana (6) Partizani Puna Tiranë Refik Resmja171957 Partizani (5) Dinamo Tirana Puna Korçë Niko Bespalla 121958 Partizani (6) Besa 17 Nëntori Skënder Jareci 131959 Partizani (7) 17 Nëntori Flamurtari Panajot Pano 91960 Dinamo Tirana (7) Partizani 17 Nëntori Skënder Jareci131961 Partizani (8) Dinamo Tirana 17 Nëntori Panajot Pano 141962–63 Partizani (9) Dinamo Tirana Besa Panajot Pano 121963–64 Partizani (10) Dinamo City Besa Robert Jashari181964–65 17 Nëntori (7) Partizani Dinamo Tirana Robert Jashari191965–66 17 Nëntori (8) Partizani Dinamo Tirana Iljaz Çeço121966–67 Dinamo Tirana (8) 17 Nëntori Besa Josif Kazanxhi 171968 17 Nëntori (9) Partizani Dinamo Tirana Medin Zhega 191969–70 17 Nëntori (10) Partizani Vllaznia Skënder Hyka 191970–71 Partizani (11) Dinamo Tirana Vllaznia Panajot Pano 181971–72 Vllaznia (3) 17 Nëntori Dinamo Tirana Ilir Përnaska 191972–73 Dinamo Tirana (9) Partizani Besa Ilir Përnaska 171973–74 Vllaznia (4) Partizani Besa Ilir Përnaska 121974–75 Dinamo Tirana (10) Vllaznia Partizani Ilir Përnaska 161975–76 Dinamo Tirana (11) 17 Nëntori Vllaznia Ilir Përnaska191976–77 Dinamo Tirana (12) Skënderbeu Vllaznia Ilir Përnaska171977–78 Vllaznia (5) Luftëtari Partizani Agim Murati121978–79 Partizani (12) 17 Nëntori Besa Agim Murati131979–80 Dinamo Tirana (13) 17 Nëntori Vllaznia Përparim Kovaçi181980–81 Partizani (13) Dinamo Tirana 17 Nëntori Dashnor Bajaziti 121981–82 17 Nëntori (11)Flamurtari Dinamo Tirana Vasil Ruci121982–83 Vllaznia (6) Partizani 17 Nëntori Dashnor Bajaziti161983–84 Labinoti (1)17 Nëntori Partizani Vasil Ruçi121984–85 17 Nëntori (12) Dinamo Tirana Vllaznia Arben Minga, Faslli Fakja 131985–86 Dinamo Tirana (14) Flamurtari 17 Nëntori Kujtim Majaci 201986–87 Partizani (14) Flamurtari Vllaznia Arben Arbëri141987–88 17 Nëntori (13) Flamurtari Labinoti Agustin Kola 181988–89 17 Nëntori (14) Partizani Dinamo Tirana Agustin Kola 191989–90 Dinamo Tirana (15) Partizani Flamurtari Kujtim Majaci191990–91 Flamurtari (1) Partizani Besa Kliton Bozgo 291991–92 Vllaznia (7) Partizani Teuta Edmir Bilali 221992–93 Partizani (15) Teuta Besa Edmond Dosti 211993–94 Teuta (1) Tirana Flamurtari Edi Martini 141994–95 Tirana (15) Teuta Partizani Arben Shehu 211995–96 Tirana (16) Teuta Partizani Altin Çuko211996–97 Tirana (17)Vllaznia Flamurtari Viktor Paço141997–98 Vllaznia (8) Tirana Partizani Dorjan Bubeqi261998–99 Tirana (18) Vllaznia Bylis Artan Bano 231999–00 Tirana (19) Tomori Teuta Klodian Arbëri182000–01 Vllaznia (9) Tirana Dinamo Tirana Indrit Fortuzi302001–02 Dinamo Tirana (16) Tirana Partizani Indrit Fortuzi242002–03 Tirana (20) Vllaznia Partizani Mahir Halili202003–04 Tirana (21) Dinamo Tirana Vllaznia Vioresin Sinani362004–05 Tirana (22) Elbasani Dinamo Tirana Dorian Bylykbashi242005–06 Elbasani (2) Tirana Dinamo Tirana Hamdi Salihi 292006–07 Tirana (23) Teuta Vllaznia Vioresin Sinani 232007–08 Dinamo Tirana (17) Partizani Besa Vioresin Sinani202008–09 Tirana (24) Vllaznia Dinamo Tirana Migen Memelli 222009–10 Dinamo Tirana (18) Besa Tirana Daniel Xhafaj 182010–11 Skënderbeu (2) Flamurtari Vllaznia Daniel Xhafaj 182011–12 Skënderbeu (3) Teuta Tirana Roland Dervishi202012–13 Skënderbeu (4) Kukësi Teuta Migen Memelli192013–14 Skënderbeu (5) Kukësi Laçi Pero Pejić202014–15 Skënderbeu (6) Kukësi Partizani Pero Pejić 312015–16 Skënderbeu (7) Partizani Kukësi Hamdi Salihi272016–17 Kukësi (1) Partizani Skënderbeu Pero Pejić272017–18 Skënderbeu (8) Kukësi Luftëtari Ali Sowe212018–19 Partizani (16) Kukësi Teuta Reginaldo132019–20 Tirana (25) Kukësi Laçi Kyrian Nwabueze232020–21 Teuta (2) Vllaznia Partizani Dejvi Bregu162021–22 Tirana (26) Laçi Partizani Saliou GuindoTaulant Seferi192022–23 Partizani (17) Tirana Egnatia Florent Hasani162023–24 Egnatia (1) Partizani Skënderbeu Bekim Balaj182024–25 Egnatia (2) Vllaznia Partizani Bekim Balaj192025–26 Egnatia (3) AF Elbasani Vllaznia Bekim Balaj14 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
Club Champions Runners up Third places Seasons Tirana 1930, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1942, 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 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 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 1940, 1945, 1946, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1982–83, 1991–92, 1997–98, 2000–01 Skënderbeu 1933, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18 Egnatia 2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–26 Teuta 1993–94, 2020–21 Elbasani 1983–84, 2005–06 Flamurtari 1990–91 Kukësi 2016–17 Besa - Laçi - Luftëtari - AF Elbasani - Tomori - Bylis -
Tirana and Vllaznia would have accordingly 29 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 2025–2026 season. The ranking is based on the total accumulated points by each club. Teams in bold are part of the 2025–26 season.Shifrat e 79 Kampionateve 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.