2023–24 Kategoria Superiore

The 2023–24 Kategoria Superiore was the 85th official season, or 86th season of top-tier football in Albania (including three unofficial championships during World War II) and the 24th season under the name Kategoria Superiore. The season began on 26 August 2023 and ended on 26 May 2024. Egnatia won the league title on 26 May 2024, beating Partizani in the final match.

Kategoria Superiore
Season2023–24
Dates26 August 2023 –
26 May 2024[1]
ChampionsEgnatia
1st title
RelegatedErzeni
Kukësi
Champions LeagueEgnatia
Conference LeaguePartizani
Vllaznia
Tirana
Matches played184
Goals scored418 (2.27 per match)
Top goalscorerBekim Balaj
(18 goals)
Biggest home winLaçi 6–1 Teuta
(15 September 2023)
Vllaznia 5–0 Skëndërbeu
(22 December 2023)
Biggest away winEgnatia 0–5 Tirana
(24 December 2023)
Highest scoringEgnatia 4–3 Erzeni
(14 September 2023)
Laçi 6–1 Teuta
(15 September 2023)
Partizani 4–3 Kukësi
(8 October 2023)
Tirana 3–4 Skënderbeu
(28 January 2024)
Longest winning run6 matches
Partizani
Longest unbeaten run12 matches
Partizani
Vllaznia
Longest winless run16 matches
Kukësi
Longest losing run8 matches
Kukësi
All statistics correct as of 26 May 2024.

The winners of this season's Kategoria Superiore earned a place in the first qualifying round of the 2024–25 Champions League, with the second and third placed clubs earning a place in the first qualifying round of the 2024–25 Conference League.[2]

Teams

edit

Two clubs have earned promotion from the Kategoria e Parë, Dinamo City and Skënderbeu (both promoted after a one-year absence). Bylis (relegated after only one year in the top flight) and Kastrioti (relegated after three years in the top flight) were relegated to Kategoria e Parë at the conclusion of last season.

Locations

edit
Team Home city Stadium Capacity 2022–23 season
Dinamo City Tirana Various[a] Runner-up (Kategoria e Parë)
Egnatia Rrogozhinë Egnatia Arena 4,000 3rd
Erzeni Shijak Egnatia Arena[b] 4,000[b] 8th
Kukësi Kukës Kukës Arena 6,322 7th
Laçi Laç Laçi Stadium 8,000 5th
Partizani Tirana Arena e Demave 4,500 Champion
Skënderbeu Korçë Skënderbeu Stadium 12,343 Champion (Kategoria e Parë)
Teuta Durrës Niko Dovana Stadium 12,040 6th
Tirana Tirana Various[c] 2nd
Vllaznia Shkodër Loro Boriçi Stadium 16,000 4th

Stadiums

edit
Dinamo City Egnatia Erzeni Kukësi Laçi
Various Egnatia Arena Egnatia Arena Kukës Arena
UEFA stadium category
   
Laçi Stadium
Capacity: 4,000 Capacity: 4,000 Capacity: 6,322 Capacity: 8,000
   
Partizani Skënderbeu Teuta Tirana Vllaznia
Arena e Demave Skënderbeu Stadium Niko Dovana Stadium Various Loro Boriçi Stadium
UEFA stadium category
    
Capacity: 4,500 Capacity: 12,343 Capacity: 12,040 Capacity: 16,000
       

Personnel and kits

edit

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 City   Ardian Bardhi   Dritan Mehmeti   Rustem Hoxha Macron Durrës Yachts & Marina
Egnatia   Agim Demrozi   Edlir Tetova   Renato Malota Joma Spitali Amavita
Erzeni   Elton Arbana   Alfred Deliallisi   Nehar Sadiki Macron Sinani
Kukësi   Safet Gjici   Bledar Devolli   Angelo Tafa Suzmar Kevin Construction
Laçi   Pashk Laska   Armando Cungu   Ajdi Dajko Uhlsport
Partizani   Gazmend Demi   Orges Shehi   Alban Hoxha Macron
Skënderbeu   Ardjan Takaj   Ivan Gvozdenović   Dean Liço Uhlsport Caffè Quaranta
Teuta   Edmond Hasanbelliu   Edi Martini   Blerim Kotobelli Macron Klinika 4-D
Tirana   Refik Halili   Bledi Shkëmbi   Filip Najdovski Joma
Vllaznia   Alban Xhaferi   Thomas Brdarić   Bekim Balaj Suzmar Sigal

Managerial changes

edit
Team Outgoing manager Manner of
departure
Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of
appointment
Vllaznia   Goce Sedloski End of contract 31 May 2023 Pre-season   Migen Memelli 6 June 2023
Teuta   Edi Martini Mutual consent 3 June 2023   Diego Longo 16 June 2023
Partizani   Giovanni Colella Resigned 7 June 2023   Zoran Zekić 12 June 2023
Dinamo City   Dritan Mehmeti Mutual consent 1 August 2023   Luigi Di Biagio 1 August 2023
Laçi   Stavri Nica Sacked 29 August 2023 5th   Skerdi Bejzade 31 August 2023
Kukësi   Rrahman Hallaçi 4 September 2023 10th   Stavri Nica 4 September 2023
Teuta   Diego Longo Mutual consent 24 September 2023 8th   Edi Martini 25 September 2023
Laçi   Skerdi Bejzade 29 September 2023 7th   Mirel Josa 30 September 2023
Tirana   Orges Shehi Sacked 5 October 2023 4th   Julian Ahmataj 5 October 2023
Partizani   Zoran Zekić Signed by Osijek 10 October 2023 5th   Arbër Abilaliaj 10 October 2023
Dinamo City   Luigi Di Biagio Resigned 22 October 2023 10th   Dritan Mehmeti 25 October 2023
Vllaznia   Migen Memelli Mutual consent 29 October 2023 7th   Qatip Osmani 30 October 2023
Partizani   Arbër Abilaliaj End of caretaker spell 26 December 2023 2nd   Orges Shehi 26 December 2023
Kukësi   Stavri Nica Resigned 31 January 2024 9th   Emiliano Çela 31 January 2024
Erzeni   Alfred Deliallisi Mutual consent 8 February 2024 8th   Skerdi Bejzade 8 February 2024
Kukësi   Emiliano Çela Resigned 17 February 2024 10th   Bledar Devolli 17 February 2024
Tirana   Julian Ahmataj Sacked 20 February 2024 4th   Erbim Fagu 20 February 2024
Laçi   Mirel Josa Mutual consent 3 March 2024 7th   Armando Cungu 3 March 2024
Erzeni   Skerdi Bejzade 4 March 2024 9th   Alfred Deliallisi 4 March 2024
Vllaznia   Qatip Osmani 25 April 2024 2nd   Thomas Brdarić 26 April 2024

League table

edit
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Egnatia (C) 36 18 9 9 51 38 +13 63[a] Qualification for the Final four round
2 Partizani 36 17 12 7 51 29 +22 63[a]
3 Vllaznia 36 16 11 9 41 34 +7 59
4 Skënderbeu 36 15 6 15 37 39 −2 51
5 Tirana 36 13 11 12 56 49 +7 50[b] Qualification for the Conference League first qualifying round[c]
6 Teuta 36 13 11 12 36 35 +1 50[b]
7 Dinamo City 36 13 8 15 42 43 −1 47
8 Laçi (O) 36 10 16 10 37 31 +6 46 Qualification for the relegation play-off
9 Erzeni (R) 36 7 11 18 29 57 −28 32 Relegation to the 2024–25 Kategoria e Parë
10 Kukësi (R) 36 6 9 21 31 56 −25 27
Source: Albanian Football Association
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.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Ranked on head-to-head points: Egnatia 6, Partizani 3.
  2. ^ a b Ranked on head-to-head points (goal difference): Tirana 5 (+1), Teuta 5 (–1)
  3. ^ Egnatia, the winners of the 2023–24 Albanian Cup, finished in the top four while Skënderbeu, the fourth-placed team is banned from UEFA competitions. Therefore, the final Conference League berth was transferred from the fourth-placed team to the fifth-placed team.

Results

edit

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

Final four round

edit

A draw was conducted in order to decide the semi-finals. Seeding of teams was based on their league ranking, with two seeded teams and two unseeded. In the semi-finals, in case of a tie after 90 minutes, the team with the higher league ranking will qualify to the final.

Bracket

edit
 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
17 May
 
 
Partizani1
 
26 May
 
Skënderbeu0
 
Partizani0
 
19 May
 
Egnatia1
 
Egnatia (b.p.)0
 
 
Vllaznia0
 
Third place play-off
 
 
24 May
 
 
Skënderbeu3
 
 
Vllaznia2

Semi-finals

edit
Partizani1–0Skënderbeu
Bintsouka   47'
Referee: Enea Jorgji

Egnatia0–0Vllaznia
Referee: Juxhin Xhaja

Egnatia qualified to the final as the team with the higher ranking in the regular season.

Third place play-off

edit
Skënderbeu3−2Vllaznia
Nikaj   11'
Liço   16'
Rashica   33'
Mala   42' (pen.)
Balaj   81' (pen.)
Referee: Eldorjan Hamiti

Final

edit

Relegation play-off

edit
Laçi3–1 (a.e.t.)Flamurtari
Cordeiro   45+4', 109' (pen.)
Mjaki   116'
Dajko   63' (o.g.)
Referee: Erjon Bastari

Season statistics

edit

Scoring

edit

Top scorers

edit
As of 24 May 2024
Rank Player Club Goals[3]
1   Bekim Balaj Vllaznia 18
2   Kristal Abazaj Tirana 11
3   Archange Bintsouka Partizani 10
  Florent Hasani Tirana
5   Klejdi Daci Teuta 9
  Luis Kaçorri Dinamo City
  Nnamdi Ahanonu Skënderbeu
  Raphael Dwamena Egnatia
  Ronald Sobowale Laçi

Hat-tricks

edit
Player Club Against Result Date
  Raphael Dwamena Egnatia Erzeni 4–3 (H) 13 September 2023
  Archange Bintsouka Partizani Kukësi 4–3 (H) 8 October 2023
  Ildi Gruda Vllaznia Skënderbeu 5–0 (H) 22 December 2023
Notes

(H) – Home team
(A) – Away team

Discipline

edit

Player

edit

See also

edit

Notes and references

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^
    Dinamo City is playing their 2023–24 home games in various stadiums depending on availability including: Arena Kombëtare, Elbasan Arena and Niko Dovana Stadium.
  2. ^
    Erzeni will play their 2023–24 home games at the Egnatia Arena in Rrogozhinë, since their venue, Tofik Jashari Stadium, is not suitable for Kategoria Superiore matches.
  3. ^
    Tirana is playing their 2023–24 home games in various stadiums depending on availability including: Arena Kombëtare, Elbasan Arena and Selman Stërmasi Stadium.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Komiteti Ekzekutiv i FSHF miraton datat e nisjes së aktiviteteve kombëtare për edicionin futbollistik 2023-2024". 18 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Komiteti Ekzekutiv i FSHF-së miraton ndryshimin e formatit të kampionatit "Abissnet Superiore 2023-2024"". 18 July 2023.
  3. ^ "2023–24 top scorers". Soccerway. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
edit