About Albanian National Championship

The Albanian top-tier football competition was founded in 1930 as the Albanian National Championship (Kampionati Kombëtar Shqiptar), marking the beginning of organized football in the country. The inaugural season took place in 1930 with six participating teams, and it was the first official competition organized by the Albanian Football Association. In its early years, the league featured a relatively small number of clubs, mainly from major cities such as Tirana and Shkodër, and it gradually developed despite interruptions during periods like World War II.

From 1930 until 2003, the competition remained known as the Albanian National Championship and served as the highest level of football in Albania. Over the decades, the format and number of participating teams evolved, while the league became increasingly structured and competitive. By the early 2000s, it had already established a long tradition as the country’s primary football tournament, with dozens of seasons played since its foundation.

In 2003, the league was officially rebranded as Kategoria Superiore, marking a new era in Albanian football. The 2003–04 season became the first under the new name, continuing the legacy of the national championship while introducing a more modern identity and structure aligned with European standards. Since then, Kategoria Superiore has remained the top division of Albanian football, building on the history established since 1930.