Football in Kosovo

Football in Kosovo^[a] is governed by the Football Federation of Kosovo, which was created in 1946, as a branch of the Yugoslav Football Association. Prishtina, is the club from Kosovo with most participations in the Yugoslav First League. Football is the most popular sport in Kosovo.

The Football Superleague of Kosovo is the top division of football in Kosovo. The division was set up in 1945 as a regional league within the Yugoslav football league system.

In 2008, Kosovo^[a] declared its independence from Serbia. Until 2016, membership in UEFA and FIFA had been denied due to Kosovo's disputed recognition as an independent state. However, Kosovo was also not a member of the NF Board, which represents non-FIFA territories, including unrepresented cultural groups and unrecognized states. Some football clubs, especially from North Kosovo, refuse to enter the Republic of Kosovo's institutions and continue to be part of the Football Association of Serbia. On 3 May 2016, Kosovo became the 55th member of UEFA after a 28-24 vote in their favour, and on 13 May 2016, Kosovo gained FIFA membership after a 141-23 vote in their favour.

History

The first football clubs in Kosovo were formed after the First World War and they competed in the Belgrade Football Subassociation provincial leagues within the Yugoslav football league system.

During the Second World War, Yugoslavia was invaded by Axis powers, and most of Kosovo became part of German- Italian-dominated Albanian Kingdom. Several city teams from Kosovo played during the war in the Albanian championship. Two Kosovar Albanian players made headlines in Italian Serie A, Riza Lushta and Naim Kryeziu.

Riza Lushta would win the 1941–42 Coppa Italia in the final against Ac Mailand , after scoring an Hattrick for Juventus Turin. Naim Kryeziu won with A.S. Roma the 1941–42 Serie A titel , in his footballing carrier. He later managed A.S Roma as an Manager, being the first Football club manager from Kosovo.

In 1945, Kosovo was reintegrated into Yugoslavia. Football Federation of Kosovo was founded in 1946 and in 1948 was co-founder of ex-FF of Yugoslavia with equal rights and duties until 1991. FC Prishtina and KF Trepça made it to the Yugoslav First League. Fc Prishtina won the Yugoslav Second League in 1982-83. They would play from 1983 until 1988 in the Yugoslav First League. Their best finish came in the 1983–84 Yugoslav First League season, with an 8th place finish. They would also participate in the same season in the Mitropa Cup in which they came runners up to Eisenstadt. In the 1987–88 Yugoslav Cup they reached the Semifinals in which they lost against Banja Luka after the penalty shootout. KF Trepça won the Yugoslav Second League in 1976-77. In the following season they would participate in the 1977–78 Yugoslav First League. They reached in the same season the finals of the 1977–78 Yugoslav Cup, in which they lost to HNK Rijeka with 0-1.

In 1992 SFR Yugoslavia became FR Yugoslavia. In that period, all Albanian football players abandoned the Yugoslavian league and were part of the Independent League of Kosovo (1991) and first played match was Flamurtari - Prishtina(13 September 1991). First goal of Independent league was scored by Eroll Salihu, actually General Secretary of FFK.

During this Yugoslav period most of the best players from Kosovo, regardless if Albanian or Serbian usually continued their career in stronger Yugoslav clubs. Examples are Gorani Fahrudin Jusufi with Partizan), Albanians Xhevat Prekazi, or Fadil Vokrri, Isa Sadriu, Agim Cana, Ardian Kozniku and Kujtim Shala, Serbs Stevan Stojanović goalkeeper of Red Star Belgrade, Goran Đorović, Marko Perović, Darko Spalević, Nenad Vanić, Milan Biševac, Miloš Krasić and others. While all Kosovar Serbian and most Kosovar Albanian players represented Yugoslavia internationally, some opted to represent Albania, like Besnik Hasi or Mehmet Dragusha.

Three football players that were born in Kosovo (Milutin Šoškić, Fahrudin Jusufi, Vladimir Durković) were part of the Yugoslavia national football team, who won the gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics and the silver medal at the 1960 European Championship

Fadil Vokrri represent as the first Kosovo Albanian the Yugoslavia national football team, in which he appearances in twelve matches scoring six goals for them.

After the Kosovo War in 1999, most Kosovar Albanian players opted for emigration and represented either the countries they emigrated in, or Albania. Some of them are Arjan Beqaj, Etrit Berisha, Lorik Cana, Debatik Curri, Armend Dallku, Besnik Hasi for Albania, Mehmet and Perparim Hetemaj, Njazi and Shefki Kuqi for Finland, Fatos Beqiraj, Jovan Tanasijević for Montenegro, Ardian Gashi for Norway, Emir Bajrami and Erton Fejzullahu for Sweden, Valon Behrami, Albert Bunjaku, Milaim Rama, Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka for Switzerland

National Football Team

The Kosovo national football team was formed in the early 1990s and has played a number of friendly games. From 2014 to 2016, they played a number of matches recognised by FIFA, and from 2016 on, official FIFA matches. Their first competitive game was a 1-1 draw away to Finland in a World Cup qualifier. The reminder of this qualification wasn't really successful, as Kosovo would loss all matches to finish last in their group respectively.

Kosovo would then compete at the newly formed UEFA Nations League in 2018-19 League D in which they would meet Aserbaidschan, Malta and Faroe Islands in Group 3. They would play their first match against Aserbaidschan getting a 0:0 draw away from Home. In the following match Kosovo would make history as they would win for the first time in their history a competitive match. They would beat the Faroe Islands at home with 2:0 with goals from Arbër Zeneli and Atdhe Nuhiu. The reminder of the qualification would be successful as Kosovo would go on to win their next match against Malta with 3-1 following a disappointing draw against the Faroe Islands away from home with 1-1. Kosovo would then face Malta away from home. They would secure their highest win so far as they would beat them with 0-5 in the end.

League system (2020–21)

Men's

Level	Leagues/Divisions
1	Kosovo Superleague (10 clubs)
2	Kosovo First League – Group A (10 clubs)		Kosovo First League – Group B (10 clubs)
3	Kosovo Second League (16 clubs)
4	Kosovo Third League – Group A (16 clubs)		Kosovo Third League – Group B (18 clubs)
	Kosovo Plain's Group A (8 clubs)	Dukagjini Plain's Group A (8 clubs)	Kosovo Plain's Group B (8 clubs)	Dukagjini Plain's Group B (10 clubs)

Women's

Level	Leagues/Divisions
1	Kosovo League (11 clubs)

Kosovar footballers

There are several ethnic Albanians from Kosovo who have played, or are playing, football for other national teams. Lorik Cana, who won with Paris Saint-Germain F.C. the 2003–04 Coupe de France and with S.S. Lazio the 2012–13 Coppa Italia. He last played for French side Nantes, and represented Albania national football team in which he participated in the UEFA Euro 2016 held in France. He is the most caped footballer for Albania. Valon Behrami is a Kosovo-born Swiss international who plays for Udinese Calcio. Shefki Kuqi, who last played for Premier League side Newcastle United, is a naturalized citizen of Finland. Xhevat Prekazi, best known for his career with Turkish side Galatasaray S.K., Xherdan Shaqiri is an ethnic Albanians born in Kosovo who plays for the Swiss national team and Ligue 1 side Olympique Lyonnais he also played in his Football carrier for FC Basel , Bayern Munich and Liverpool Fc. He won with Bayern the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League being the first Footballer from Kosovo to win this competition. With Liverpool Fc he won the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League, his second UEFA Champions League titel in his Football carrier. He would also win the 2019–20 Premier League with Liverpool. He is the most successful Footballer coming from Kosovo. Granit Xhaka is a Switzerland-born footballer who plays for the Swiss national team and Premier League side Arsenal, originally from Kosovo of Albanian descent.

The most famous player in women's football from Kosovo is the former German international Fatmire Alushi, who last played for French side Paris Saint-Germain, she is married to Enis Alushi, a former Kosovo international.

Notes

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