Football in Kosovo

Football in Kosovo is governed by the Football Federation of Kosovo, which was created in 1946 (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 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 match ever played in Kosovo took place in Prizren in 1912 between two Austro-Hungarian teams.

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.

In 1945, Kosovo was reintegrated into Serbia and 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. 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 Serb or Albanian, usually continued their career in stronger Yugoslav clubs. Examples are Gorani Fahrudin Jusufi (European vice-champion in 1966 with Partizan), Albanians Xhevat Prekazi, Fadil Vokrri, Isa Sadriu, Agim Cana, Ardian Kozniku and Kujtim Shala, Serbs Stevan Stojanović (goalkeeper of Red Star Belgrade when they won the European and world club title in 1991), 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

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

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.

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)
	Dukagjini Plain's Group A (8 clubs)	Kosovo Plain's Group A (8 clubs)	Dukagjini Plain's Group B (10 clubs)	Kosovo Plain's Group B (8 clubs)

Women's

Level	Leagues/Divisions
1	Kosovo Superleague (Various by season, currently 8)
2	Kosovo First League (Various by season, currently 5)

Kosovar footballers

The "Fadil Vokrri" Stadium, the biggest stadium in Pristina

There are several ethnic Albanians from Kosovo who have played, or are playing, football for other national teams. Lorik Cana, who last played for French side Nantes, and represented the Albanian national football team. Valon Behrami is a Kosovo-born Swiss international who played 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., is a naturalized citizen of Turkey. Xherdan Shaqiri is an ethnic Albanian born in Kosovo who plays for the Swiss national team and played for Premier League side Liverpool, Granit Xhaka is a Swiss-born footballer who plays for the Swiss national team and Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, 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.

Bevor being an indenpendent Nation, Footballers from Kosovo did were known in Italy, Yugoslavia , and in Europe.

Naim Kryeziu born in Mitrovica in Kosovo started his long footballing career in SK Tirana where he played for six seasons winning four Kategoria Superiore between 1934 and 1939 as well as one Albanian Cup title in 1938-39. He then played for Roma between 1939 and 1947 scoring 27 goals and winning with them the 1941–42 Serie A title. His biggest achievement in his football career. Being the first Albanian footballer to win a Serie A title. He later would play successfully for S.S.C. Napoli scoring in five seasons 39 goals for the Gli Azzurris. Before retiring his footballing career in 1954. He scored 68 goals in the Seria A and is still even to this day one of the most successful Albanian footballers in the football history in Europe.

He later started a coaching career, serving also as AS Roma head coach for a short time during the 1963–64 season as a replacement for Alfredo Foni. he would coach A.S. Roma once more between 1970 and 1973 in his career.

Riza Lushta is a well known footballer from Kosovo. He started his football career in KF Tirana where he won the Kategoria Superiore four times in six seasons, he played with. He would then play for Seria A side S.S.C. Bari for the upcoming season. Where he scored three times in sixteen matches.His performances with Bari attracted the interest of Juventus Turin who he joined in 1940 after just one year with Bari. He would play for the Old Lady for five seasons. His most successful season came in the 1941–42 Serie A where he scored 15 goals for Juve being the highest foreigner goalscorer in the Seria in that particular season. Lushta made history as he won with Juventus Turin the 1941–42 Coppa Italia. Where he is known for his hattrick he scored against A.C. Milan in the second leg of the finals. Riza Lushta would be the first Albanian footballer to be a record goalscorer in the Coppa Italia with 8 goals in 6 matches