2021–22 Kategoria Superiore

Kategoria Superiore
Season	2021–22
Dates	10 September 2021 –; 26 May 2022
Matches played	8
Goals scored	27 (3.38 per match)
Top goalscorer	Dejan Zarubica; Michael Ngoo; ; Victor da Silva; (2 goals each)
	← 2020–21 → All statistics correct as of 18 September 2021.

The 2021–22 Kategoria Superiore is the 83rd official season, or 86th season of top-tier football in Albania (including three unofficial championships during World War II) and the 22nd season under the name Kategoria Superiore. The season began in 10 September 2021 and will end on 26 May 2022.^[1]

The winners of this season's Kategoria Superiore will earn a place in the first qualifying round of the 2022–23 Champions League, with the second and third placed clubs earning a place in the first qualifying round of the 2022–23 Europa Conference League.

Teams[]

Two clubs have earned promotion from the Kategoria e Parë, Dinamo Tirana (promoted after a nine-year absence)^[2] and Egnatia (promoted after a sixteen-year absence).^[3] Apolonia (relegated after only one year in the top flight) and Bylis (relegated after two-years in the top flight) were relegated to Kategoria e Par�� at the conclusion of last season.

Locations[]

Dinamo

Partizani

Tirana

2021–22 Kategoria Superiore teams.

Team	Home city	Stadium	Capacity	2020–21 season
Dinamo Tirana	Tirana	Selman Stërmasi Stadium	9,500	Runner-up (Kategoria e Parë)
Egnatia	Rrogozhinë	Rrogozhinë Stadium	4,000	Champion (Kategoria e Parë)
Kastrioti	Krujë	Kamëz Stadium^[a]	5,500^[a]	8th
Kukësi	Kukës	Zeqir Ymeri Stadium	5,500	6th
Laçi	Laç	Laçi Stadium	2,300	4th
Partizani	Tirana	Arena Kombëtare	22,500	3rd
Skënderbeu	Korçë	Skënderbeu Stadium	12,343	7th
Teuta	Durrës	Niko Dovana Stadium	12,040	Champion
Tirana	Tirana	Selman Stërmasi Stadium	9,500	5th
Vllaznia	Shkodër	Loro Boriçi Stadium	16,000	2nd

Stadiums[]

Dinamo Tirana	Egnatia	Kastrioti	Kukësi	Laçi
Selman Stërmasi Stadium	Rrogozhinë Stadium	Kamëz Stadium	Zeqir Ymeri Stadium	Laçi Stadium
Capacity: 9,500	Capacity: 4,000	Capacity: 5,500	Capacity: 5,500	Capacity: 2,300

Partizani	Skënderbeu	Teuta	Tirana	Vllaznia
Arena Kombëtare UEFA stadium category	Skënderbeu Stadium	Niko Dovana Stadium	Selman Stërmasi Stadium	Loro Boriçi Stadium UEFA stadium category
Capacity: 22,500	Capacity: 12,343	Capacity: 12,040	Capacity: 9,500	Capacity: 16,000

Personnel and kits[]

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Team	President	Manager	Captain	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
Dinamo Tirana		Bledi Shkëmbi	Agim Ibraimi	Uhlsport	Palma
Egnatia		Gugash Magani	Gëzim Krasniqi	Uhlsport	Spitali Amavita
Kastrioti		Ramadan Ndreu	Sokol Neziri	Uhlsport	Qafshtama
Kukësi	Safet Gjici	Diego Longo	Gjelbrim Taipi	Joma	Kevin Construction
Laçi	Pashk Laska	Dejan Vukićević	Aleksandar Ignjatović	Uhlsport	Arbëria Palace
Partizani	Gazmend Demi	Ilir Daja	Alban Hoxha	Joma	−
Skënderbeu		Migen Memelli	Vangjel Zguro	Joma	−
Teuta		Edi Martini	Sherif Kallaku	Macron	−
Tirana	Refik Halili	Orges Shehi	Erion Hoxhallari	Uhlsport	−
Vllaznia		Thomas Brdarić	Erdenis Gurishta	Uhlsport	Bavaria

Managerial changes[]

Team	Outgoing manager	Manner of departure	Date of vacancy	Position in table	Incoming manager	Date of appointment
Kukësi	Mirel Josa	Mutual consent	6 June 2021	Pre-season	Diego Longo	16 July 2021
Laçi	Shpëtim Duro	Mutual consent	16 August 2021	Pre-season	Dejan Vukićević	17 August 2021

League table[]

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Vllaznia	2	1	1	0	6	4	+2	4	Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round
2	Dinamo Tirana	2	1	1	0	3	1	+2	4	Qualification for the Europa Conference League first qualifying round
3	Teuta	2	1	1	0	2	1	+1	4
4	Tirana	1	1	0	0	4	2	+2	3
5	Kukësi	1	1	0	0	3	1	+2	3
6	Partizani	2	0	1	1	1	2	−1	1
7	Laçi	2	0	1	1	4	6	−2	1
8	Skënderbeu	2	0	1	1	3	5	−2	1	Qualification for the relegation play-off
9	Egnatia	1	0	0	1	1	3	−2	0	Relegation to the 2022–23 Kategoria e Parë
10	Kastrioti	1	0	0	1	0	2	−2	0	Relegation to the 2022–23 Kategoria e Parë

Updated to match(es) played on 18 September 2021. Source: [1]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Draw.

Results[]

Clubs will play each other four times for a total of 36 matches each.

First half of season[]

Home \ Away	DIN	EGN	KAS	KUK	LAÇ	PAR	SKË	TEU	TIR	VLL
Dinamo	—	20 Nov	27 Nov	30 Oct	1–1	2 Oct	22 Dec	8 Dec	22 Jan	18 Dec
Egnatia	30 Jan	—	2 Oct	1–3	18 Dec	15 Jan	26 Sep	23 Oct	4 Dec	6 Nov
Kastrioti	0–2	12 Dec	—	4 Dec	23 Oct	6 Nov	17 Oct	15 Jan	26 Sep	30 Jan
Kukësi	15 Jan	27 Nov	18 Sep	—	8 Dec	18 Dec	22 Jan	2 Oct	20 Nov	23 Oct
Laçi	4 Dec	17 Oct	22 Dec	26 Sep	—	30 Jan	30 Oct	6 Nov	12 Dec	3–5
Partizani	12 Dec	30 Oct	22 Jan	17 Oct	20 Nov	—	4 Dec	27 Nov	22 Dec	26 Sep
Skënderbeu	23 Oct	8 Dec	18 Dec	6 Nov	15 Jan	1–1	—	30 Jan	27 Nov	2 Oct
Teuta	26 Sep	22 Dec	30 Oct	12 Dec	22 Jan	1–0	20 Nov	—	17 Oct	4 Dec
Tirana	6 Nov	18 Sep	8 Dec	30 Jan	2 Oct	23 Oct	4–2	18 Dec	—	15 Jan
Vllaznia	17 Oct	22 Jan	20 Nov	22 Dec	27 Nov	8 Dec	12 Dec	1–1	30 Oct	—

Updated to match(es) played on 18 September 2021. Source: [2]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Second half of season[]

Home \ Away	DIN	EGN	KAS	KUK	LAÇ	PAR	SKË	TEU	TIR	VLL
Dinamo	—	2 Apr	9 Apr	12 Mar	13 Feb	26 Feb	8 May	23 Apr	21 May	4 May
Egnatia	26 May	—	26 Feb	5 Feb	4 May	14 May	19 Feb	6 Mar	17 Apr	19 Mar
Kastrioti	5 Feb	30 Apr	—	17 Apr	6 Mar	19 Mar	2 Mar	14 May	19 Feb	26 May
Kukësi	14 May	9 Apr	13 Feb	—	23 Apr	4 May	21 May	26 Feb	2 Apr	6 Mar
Laçi	17 Apr	2 Mar	8 May	19 Feb	—	26 May	12 Mar	19 Mar	30 Apr	5 Feb
Partizani	30 Apr	12 Mar	21 May	2 Mar	2 Apr	—	17 Apr	9 Apr	8 May	19 Feb
Skënderbeu	6 Mar	23 Apr	4 May	19 Mar	14 May	13 Feb	—	26 May	9 Apr	26 Feb
Teuta	19 Feb	8 May	12 Mar	30 Apr	21 May	5 Feb	2 Apr	—	2 Mar	17 Apr
Tirana	19 Mar	13 Feb	23 Apr	26 May	26 Feb	6 Mar	5 Feb	4 May	—	14 May
Vllaznia	2 Mar	21 May	2 Apr	8 May	9 Apr	23 Apr	30 Apr	13 Feb	12 Mar	—

First match(es) will be played on 5 February 2022. Source: [3]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Positions by round[]

The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches.

Team ╲ Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36
Team ╲ Round
Dinamo	4
Egnatia	9
Kastrioti	10
Kukësi	3
Laçi	7
Partizani	6
Skënderbeu	8
Teuta	5
Tirana	2
Vllaznia	1

	Leader and UEFA Champions League first qualifying round
	UEFA Europa Conference League first qualifying round
	Relegation play-off
	2022–23 Kategoria e Parë

Source: [4]

Notes and references[]

Notes[]

^
Kastrioti plays their 2021–22 home games at the Kamëz Stadium in Kamëz, since their venue, Kastrioti Stadium, is not suitable for Kategoria Superiore matches.

References[]

^ https://fshf.org/sq/komiteti-ekzekutiv-percakton-datat-e-nisjes-se-kampionateve-per-sezonit-2021-22/
^ "VIDEO/ "Nëndetësja" kthehet në bazë! Dinamo ngjitet zyrtarisht në Kategorinë Superiore pas 9 vitesh" [VIDEO / "Submarine" returns to base! Dinamo officially climbs to the Superior Category after 9 years] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 10 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
^ "Kategoria e Parë/ Egnatia matematikisht në Superiore, Tomori nxjerr nga gara Pogradecin (VIDEO)" [First Category / Egnatia mathematically in Superiore, Tomori removes Pogradec from the race (VIDEO)] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 2 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.

External links[]

Official website (in Albanian)
Kategoria Superiore at uefa.com

[cnote_a] 
Kastrioti plays their 2021–22 home games at the Kamëz Stadium in Kamëz, since their venue, Kastrioti Stadium, is not suitable for Kategoria Superiore matches.

[1] ttps://fshf.org/sq/komiteti-ekzekutiv-percakton-datat-e-nisjes-se-kampionateve-per-sezonit-2021-22/

[2] "VIDEO/ "Nëndetësja" kthehet në bazë! Dinamo ngjitet zyrtarisht në Kategorinë Superiore pas 9 vitesh" [VIDEO / "Submarine" returns to base! Dinamo officially climbs to the Superior Category after 9 years] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 10 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.

[3] "Kategoria e Parë/ Egnatia matematikisht në Superiore, Tomori nxjerr nga gara Pogradecin (VIDEO)" [First Category / Egnatia mathematically in Superiore, Tomori removes Pogradec from the race (VIDEO)] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 2 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[a]

show v t Top-level football seasons in Albania
Fier Fair Tournament	1911
National Championship	1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1968 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03
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show v t Kategoria Superiore clubs
Current (2021–22)	Dinamo Tirana Egnatia Kastrioti Kukësi Laçi Partizani Skënderbeu Teuta Tirana Vllaznia
Former	Albpetrol Apolonia Besa Besëlidhja Burreli Bylis Elbasani Erzeni Flamurtari Gramozi Iliria Kamza Korabi Luftëtari Luftëtari Tiranë Lushnja Naftëtari Pogradeci Përmeti Selenica Shkumbini Shkëndija Tiranë Sopoti Spartaku Studenti Tekstilisti Tomori Tërbuni

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International competitions	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification 2020–21 UEFA Nations League League C relegation play-offs Finals 2023 Euro Under-21 qualification 2022 Euro Under-19 qualification 2022 Euro Under-17 qualification