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Klubi i Futbollit Tirana is an Albanian professional football club based in the country's capital city,
Tirana Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in Albania, largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest ov ...
, that competes in the
Kategoria Superiore Kategoria Superiore (), also known as Abissnet Superiore for sponsorship reasons with internet service provider, Abissnet, is a professional league for men's association football clubs in Albania. At the top of the Albanian football league syste ...
, the top tier of Albanian football. The men's football club is part of the multi-disciplinary sports club
SK Tirana Sport Klub Tirana is an Albanian sports club based in the country's capital Tirana, most notable for its association football department. The club also consists of various other departments including basketball, volleyball, futsal Futsal is a v ...
, and is the most successful in Albania, having won 54 major domestic trophies. They are the only football club in Albania with two stars in their crest after winning their 20th league championship in 2003 (each star corresponds to ten championships), making them the first and only Albanian club to have achieved this feat to date. They play their home games at the
Arena Kombëtare Arena Kombëtare () is an All-seater stadium, all-seater, multi-purpose stadium, multi-purpose Association football, football stadium located in the Albanian capital city of Tirana which was built on the ground of the former Qemal Stafa Stadium. ...
in Tirana. The club was founded on 15 August 1920Official webpage of KF Tirana
as Sport Klub Tirana, but were renamed to Shoqata e Futbollit Agimi (English: Agimi Football Association) and had participated in all the top tier national championships in Albanian football through 2017. However, their ninth-place finish in the 2016–17 season resulted in the club’s first-ever relegation to the
Albanian First Division Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
(second-tier). The club competed under the name SK Tirana between 1927 and 1947, when the
communist regime A communist state, also known as a Marxist–Leninist state, is a one-party state in which the totality of the power belongs to a party adhering to some form of Marxism–Leninism, a branch of the communist ideology. Marxism–Leninism was ...
forcibly renamed the club ''17 Nëntori Tirana'', ''Puna Tirana'' and ''KS 17 Nëntori''. In 1991 the club retook its pre-1947 name and was divided into two branches, the multi disciplinary SK Tirana and the football branch KF Tirana. KF Tirana is the most successful Albanian team in European competitions, having progressed from the first round on 14 occasions (once directly by draw, without playing) since their European debut in the
1965–66 European Cup The 1965–66 European Cup was the 11th season of the European Cup, UEFA's premier club football tournament. The competition was won by Real Madrid, winners of the first five European Cups from 1956 to 1960, who beat Partizan 2–1 in a close fi ...
. They have reached Round of 16 in European competition four times, including three times in the
European Cup The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club association football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that is contested by top-division European clubs. The competition begins with a round robi ...
(now Champions League) during the 1980s. The club also holds the historical record for highest ranked Albanian club according to
IFFHS The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) is an organisation that chronicles the history and records of association football. It was founded in 1984 by Alfredo Pöge in Leipzig. The IFFHS was based in Abu Dhabi for so ...
, having been ranked 31st in the world in 1987 following their 1986–87 campaign. KF Tirana is an ECA member.


History


1920–1937: Beginnings of Klubi i Futbollit Tirana

Tirana was officially founded on 15 August 1920. The first coach was appointed Palok Nika. The first name of the club was ''Sportklub Tirona'' which was later changed into ''Futboll Klub Tirona''. The team played their first official match in October at
Shallvare Shallvare was a football stadium in Tiranë, Albania. It was home to KF Tirana from 1920 until 1946, when the club moved to the Qemal Stafa Stadium. It was located in the centre of Tiranë, nearby the existing Shallvare block. Aside from football ...
against Juventus Shkodër. Tirana played their first international match against Yugoslav team Crnogorac
Cetinje Cetinje ( cnr-Cyrl, Цетиње, ) is a List of cities and towns in Montenegro, town in Montenegro. It is the former royal capital ( cnr-Latn-Cyrl, prijestonica, приjестоница, separator=" / ") of Montenegro and is the location of sev ...
from
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
in 1925. On 16 August 1927, which was the seventh anniversary of the formation of the Agimi Sports Association, the club's name changed into ''Sportklub Tirana'', which would be commonly referred to as SK Tirana. On that day the president of the club was Teki Selenica. in 1930, Tirana took part in the first officially recognised football competition held in Albania, organised by newly founded
Albanian Football Association The Albanian Football Federation (; FSHF) is the governing body of football in Albania. Headquartered in Tirana, it organises the national football leagues of Kategoria Superiore, Kategoria e Parë, Kategoria e Dytë, Kategoria e Tretë, Alba ...
. The team dominated the
tournament A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses: # One or more competitions held at a single venue and concen ...
, reaching the final after winning five matches, drawing four and losing just one, to finish joint top, along with
Skënderbeu Korçë Gjergj Kastrioti (17 January 1468), commonly known as Skanderbeg, was an Albanian feudal lord and military commander who led a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire in what is today Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serb ...
, albeit with a slightly better goal difference. Tirana faced in the championship final Skënderbeu Korçë, who refused to play as a sign of protest against the bias of the competition and the Albanian Football Association towards Tirana. The club was named champion after the games were awarded 2–0. The following season, the club introduced new players such as goalkeeper
Vasfi Samimi Vasfi Samimi Visoka (1908–1981) was an Albanian footballer, writer, doctor and veterinarian. He was the first Albanian footballer to play competitively abroad, as he was part of the Fenerbahçe side for the 1927–1928 campaign. Upon his retu ...
, Sabit Çoku, Muhamet Agolli and Halim Begeja. The championship format changed as it divided the teams into two groups. Tirana was placed in
Group A Group A is a set of motorsport regulations administered by the FIA covering production derived touring cars for competition, usually in touring car racing and rallying. In contrast to the short-lived Group B and Group C, Group A vehicles wer ...
and managed to finish 1st after collecting five points from three matches. In the final against
Group B Group B was a set of regulations for Grand tourer, grand touring (GT) cars used in sports car racing and rallying introduced in 1982 by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). Although permitted to enter a GT class of the World S ...
winners
Teuta Durrës Klubi i Futbollit Teuta, commonly referred to as ''Teuta'', is an Albanian professional football club based in Durrës. The club competes in the Kategoria Superiore, the top tier of Albanian football. Their home ground is the Niko Dovana Stadiu ...
, the team drew 1–1 in the first leg at home but managed a 3–0 win in the second one to retain the championship title. Tirana continued to dominate the Albanian football even in the next season, despite the fact that the championship format was changed once again. In a group where every club would play each other twice and the winner would be decided by who finished top of the league, Tirana had it easy as they finished the championship unbeaten, winning five matches and drawing three, winning the title for the third consecutive year, which further cemented their place in history as the first club to dominate football in Albania. The club lost the title for the first time in history in
1933 Events January * January 11 – Australian aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith makes the first commercial flight between Australia and New Zealand. * January 17 – The United States Congress votes in favour of Philippines independen ...
, finishing in a disappointing third place out of six, behind Bashkimi Shkodran and the winners Skënderbeu Korçë. It turned out to be a transition period as team bounced back firmly in the 1934 Championship, finishing five points ahead of runners-up Skënderbeu Korçë in a seven team format. In the next years, Tirana managed to win the
1936 Events January–February * January 20 – The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King Edward VIII, following the death of his father, George V, at Sandringham House. * January 28 – Death and state funer ...
and 1937 championship, guided by ethnic-Albanian forward Riza Lushta who was named top goalscorer in both years. This was the last pre-World War II competition held by the Albanian Football Association as there was no championship held in 1938 and World War II broke out in 1939.


1939–1947: War years

In 1939, Albania was under Italian invasion; Giovanni Giro, a loyal trustee of Foreign Minister
Galeazzo Ciano Gian Galeazzo Ciano, 2nd Count of Cortellazzo and Buccari ( , ; 18 March 1903 – 11 January 1944), was an Italian diplomat and politician who served as Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Minister in the government of his father-in-law ...
, was in charge of organising the first football competition under
Victor Emmanuel III Victor Emmanuel III (; 11 November 1869 – 28 December 1947) was King of Italy from 29 July 1900 until his abdication on 9 May 1946. A member of the House of Savoy, he also reigned as Emperor of Ethiopia from 1936 to 1941 and King of the Albani ...
, which was called ''Turneja Kombëtare E Footbollit Për Ndeshjet E Trofeut Të Liktorit'' (National Tour of Football for the Matches of the Lictor Trophy). Tirana participated in the tournament, eliminating 9–0 on aggregate Dragoj Pogradeci in the first round to reach the semi-finals. In the semi-final, the team played Skënderbeu Korçë, beating them 3–0 to reach the final against Vllaznia Shkodër. In the final played at the Shallvare field in the capital on 30 September 1939, Tirana won the trophy by winning 6–5. A similar tournament was held in the next year by the fascist regime, this time in a group format where teams were divided into two groups based on geography location. Two of Tirana's most important players Kryeziu and Lushta left Albania for Italy to join
Bari Bari ( ; ; ; ) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia Regions of Italy, region, on the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy. It is the first most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy. It is a port and ...
and
Roma Roma or ROMA may refer to: People, characters, figures, names * Roma or Romani people, an ethnic group living mostly in Europe and the Americas. * Roma called Roy, ancient Egyptian High Priest of Amun * Roma (footballer, born 1979), born ''Paul ...
respectively. In the first match, Tirana drew 2–2 with Vllaznia Shkodër, and then won 3–0 at home against Elbasani. The rest of the campaign did not prove to be fruitful as Vllaznia finished top of the group ahead of Tirana and reached the championship finals, where they defeated Skënderbeu Korçë 11–1 on aggregate to win their first national championship, to this day unrecognised by the Albanian Federal Association. The championship was not held in 1941 but returned in the following year, which also had three clubs from
Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
. These clubs from Kosovo competed in the northern section along with the reigning champions Vllaznia Shkodër and Tirana competed in the new middle section group and the southern clubs competed in their own group. In a bizarre ruling, only players born between 1921 and 1925 were allowed to participate in the competition, meaning that only players between the ages of 17 and 22 were allowed to play. However, this rule was not followed by most clubs and senior players did participate in the competition. Tirana reached the semi-finals after winning 5–1 versus Elbasani and drawing 1–1 against Teuta Durrës. In the semi-final, the team faced Prizreni; the first leg ended in a 2–2 draw while the second one was won by Tirana 2–1. The team thus reached the final once again where they faced Vllaznia Shkodër on 29 June. The regular time ended in a 1–1 draw, leading the Italian referee Michele Carone then asked both sides to play extra time of two 15-minute halves, but Vllaznia declined. Two days after the final had been played the match was awarded 2–0 to Tirana along with the title. The club won two out of the three National Championships that were held during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, but in March 2013,
Albanian Football Association The Albanian Football Federation (; FSHF) is the governing body of football in Albania. Headquartered in Tirana, it organises the national football leagues of Kategoria Superiore, Kategoria e Parë, Kategoria e Dytë, Kategoria e Tretë, Alba ...
made a decision by refusing to recognise them, stating that they were not legitimate, since they weren't organised by the AFA, but by the fascist regime.


1944–1957: Postwar period

Following the end of World War II, footballing activities resumed as they had done before the war under the guidance of the Albanian Football Association. In the championship of
1945 1945 marked the end of World War II, the fall of Nazi Germany, and the Empire of Japan. It is also the year concentration camps were liberated and the only year in which atomic weapons have been used in combat. Events World War II will be ...
, Tirana was placed in
Group B Group B was a set of regulations for Grand tourer, grand touring (GT) cars used in sports car racing and rallying introduced in 1982 by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). Although permitted to enter a GT class of the World S ...
. The team topped the group easily, collecting 16 points from 10 matches, thus reaching the final where they faced Vllaznia Shkodër once again. They lost both matches 2–1, thus missing the opportunity to win another championship. Under
communist regime A communist state, also known as a Marxist–Leninist state, is a one-party state in which the totality of the power belongs to a party adhering to some form of Marxism–Leninism, a branch of the communist ideology. Marxism–Leninism was ...
led by dictator
Enver Hoxha Enver Halil Hoxha ( , ; ; 16 October 190811 April 1985) was an Albanian communist revolutionary and politician who was the leader of People's Socialist Republic of Albania, Albania from 1944 until his death in 1985. He was the Secretary (titl ...
, Tirana would quickly become a victim as in early March 1946 the ruling communist
Politburo A politburo () or political bureau is the highest organ of the central committee in communist parties. The term is also sometimes used to refer to similar organs in socialist and Islamist parties, such as the UK Labour Party's NEC or the Poli ...
had instructed the club to change its name to 17 Nëntori ("17 November") in honour of the
Liberation of Tirana The Liberation of Tirana was the capture of the city by the communist forces during World War II in Albania. Albanian Partisans launched an attack on the German occupying forces in Tirana to seize the capital city. Description The brigade f ...
which took place on 17 November 1944. In the following decade, the club was subject to appalling treatment by the regime, and this was highlighted by the creation of a privilege system for the newly created communist backed teams
Partizani Tirana Futboll Klub Partizani is an Albanian professional football club based in Tirana, that competes in the Kategoria Superiore. Founded in 1946, the club was historically affiliated to the Albanian army. Partizani's home ground is the newly built sta ...
and
Dinamo Tirana Football Club Dinamo City, commonly referred to as Dinamo City and colloquially known as Dinamo, is an Albanian professional football club based out of Tirana. They compete in the Kategoria Superiore, the top tier of Albanian football. Founded i ...
. The following decade would unroll in the same suffocating atmosphere, becoming even heavier after the foundation of two system-privileged teams that would follow the experiences of their sisters in the former USSR, former Yugoslavia, and the other eastern European countries: Partizani, the Defense Ministry team and Dinamo, the Internal Affairs Ministry team. Dozens of Tirana's talented players were "convinced", against their will, to play for either Partizani or Dinamo. As a result, "17 Nentori" struggled to stay at the top during the years 1947–57, however the team managed to gain some of the lost ground during the second part of the 1950s after replacing in part some of the first choice players of its line up.


1958–1990: Decline and revival

From 1958 to 1964 Tirana kept on producing some good football and finishing the championship almost always at the third spot. These years were a prelude to what was about to happen later: Tirana reexperienced its pre-war glory spell under the services of the unforgettable coach
Myslym Alla Myslym 'Lym' Alla (15 April 1919 – 1 January 1999) was an Albanian football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqua ...
. At the end of the 28th national championship Tirana became champions of Albania more than twenty years after their last title. The team repeated the success the year after, but this was an obvious challenge to Partizani's generals and Dinamo's secret service bosses.


1967 title unjustly denied

It was 24 June 1967. Tirana and Partizani played their derby of the 19th round of 1966–67 Albanian First League. The match was not finished due to a fight breaking out with many Tirana and Partizani players throwing punches on the field. It was not a huge surprise to see the paper headlines the next morning: "Due to direct decision of the AFA, Tirana and Partizani forfeit the match 0:3, are deducted 3 points each and will thereafter lose by default remaining matches!" By forfeiting that match and losing the subsequent 3 remaining matches, Dinamo would automatically gain enough points to overtake Tirana and win the title.


Defiance

After this, Tirana won the championship two years in a row in style, losing only two matches in 1968 and only one during the 1969–70 season. During the seventies, Tirana struggled hard to stay at the top, the best result being the second place and the worst the thirteenth. Yet the club won the
national cup The English National Cup is an annual basketball knock-out competition held between professional, semi-professional and amateur teams from the various divisions of the National Basketball League (England), National Basketball League. For most of th ...
twice. The generation of older players came to the end of their careers and this could only mark the end of a highly successful era. However the unsuccessful spell would not last long this time. Tirana won the championship at the end of the 1981–82 season, and they went on to win the title three other times during the eighties, in 1984–85, 1987–88 and 1988–89 and the Albanian Cup in 1982–83, 1983–84 and 1985–86. The club was also successful in European club competitions, reaching there the round of 16 four times in the 1980s, alone in the European Cup three times. Many of the team's players made up the core of the Albania national football team, such as
Agustin Kola Agustin Kola (born 10 May 1959), is an Albanian professional football coach and retired player. He played most of his career at 17 Nëntori Tirana where he established himself as one of the greatest strikers of his generation, winning several i ...
, Arben Minga,
Shkëlqim Muça Shkëlqim Muça (born 19 March 1960) is an Albanian football coach and former player. Playing career Club He created the attacking trio Muça- Minga-Kola at Nëntori Tirana that was probably the best and most prolific attacking trio in the Alb ...
and
Mirel Josa Mirel Josa (born 1 June 1963) is an Albanian football coach and a former player. As a player, he played in the Greek Alpha Ethniki for Nea Kavala and Aris, as well as making 27 international appearances for the Albania national football team bet ...
.


1991–2006: Return to success

In August 1991, less than a year following the
fall of communism in Albania The fall of communism in Albania, the last such event in Europe outside the Soviet Union, started in December 1990 with student demonstrations in the capital, Tirana, although protests started in January that year in other cities like Shkod ...
, Tirana regained its old name, and likewise the whole Albanian society, went through a period of profound changes. Almost all the best Albanian players left the country and went abroad looking for a richer team who could hire them. But it seems that the club simply could not stand being too long from the leading spots. The team returned to the winning ways by winning the Albanian Cup in the 1993–94 season, defeating 1–0 on aggregate Teuta Durrës. Shortly after, in January 1995, the team won also their first
Albanian Supercup The Albanian Supercup is a single match usually at the beginning of the season between the winners of the Kategoria Superiore and Albanian Cup. Prior to 2000, Supercup final was not played when the champion team won the Double. However, after the ...
trophy, defeating 1–0 Teuta Durrës at
Qemal Stafa Stadium The Qemal Stafa Stadium (), named after Qemal Stafa (1920–1942), a World War II hero, was a national stadium and the largest football stadium in Tirana, Albania. Construction started in 1939 and the stadium was inaugurated in 1946 for the Ba ...
. A couple of months later, they clinched their 15th championship by finishing 12 points ahead of the runner-up Teuta Durrës. This championship was followed by another one in the 1995–96 season, as Tirana won it just one point ahead of Teuta Durrës once again. The team also clinched the
cup A cup is an open-top vessel (container) used to hold liquids for drinking, typically with a flattened hemispherical shape, and often with a capacity of about . Cups may be made of pottery (including porcelain), glass, metal, wood, stone, pol ...
in that season, completing the
domestic double The Double, in association football, is the achievement of winning a country's top tier division and its primary domestic cup competition in the same season. The lists in this article examine this definition of a double, while derivative sectio ...
for the second time in history. Another domestic double followed in 1998–99 season. In the following years, Tirana continued to dominate the Albanian football, winning 10 out of the last 18 Albania's championships. The team also dominated in the domestic cups, adding to their trophy cabinet three Albanian Cups and five other Albanian Supercups.


2011–2018: Change in ownership, decline and relegation

Following a successful 2006–07 campaign which saw the club win the Albanian Superliga comfortably, the team begun to struggle for results. They began the season by getting eliminated from the
UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club association football competition organised by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that is contested by List of top-division football clubs in UEFA countries, top-divisio ...
by
NK Domžale Nogometni klub Domžale (), commonly referred to as NK Domžale or simply Domžale, is a Slovenian professional Association football, football club based in the town of Domžale that competes in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, the top tier of Slovenian ...
. Despite winning the Albanian Supercup versus
Besa Kavajë Besa or BESA may refer to: Arts & entertainment * ''Besa'' (newspaper), a newspaper published in Albania * ''Besa'' (TV series), a Serbian-British television series produced by Adrenalin and Red Planet Pictures * ''The Besa'', a novel by Albanian ...
, Tirana managed only a 6th-place finish their worst finish since 1993. In cup, the team lost the final to Vllaznia Shkodër. In the following season, Tirana bounced back; inspired by striker
Migen Memelli Migen Memelli (born 25 April 1980) is an Albanian professional football coach and a former player. Regarded as one of the best strikers of Albanian football, he was known for his goalscoring ability, and has twice been the top goalscorer in th ...
, who went on to score 30 goals, Tirana managed to win the championship for the 24th time in history. In cup they reached another final, only to be defeated again, this time by
Flamurtari Vlorë Flamurtari Football Club is an Albanian professional football club based in Vlorë, Albania. The club plays in the Kategoria Superiore, which is the first tier of football in the country. Founded in 1923, the club is one of the oldest in Alba ...
. In the next years, Tirana experiences mixed fortunes, being unable to win the championship but remaining on top in domestic cups, winning the Albanian Cup in
2010–11 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...
and 2011–12, and three other Albanian Supercups in 2009, 2011 and 2012. There was also major controversies off the field between club's chief and president in the 2010–11 season, which led to a delay in paying the players' wages and even some players not receiving their wages. On 12 October 2011,
Municipality of Tirana Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in Albania, largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest ov ...
city council voted through a unanimous decision to change the status of the club from a municipality owned to a shareholder own one, under the name KF Tirana Sh.A, with the municipality of Tirana initially holding a 100% stake in the club but with the possibility of any future private sponsors and donors to own stocks in the club. Starting from 2013, Tirana entered in a period of disappointments. In the 2013–14 season, the team was seriously in risk of getting relegated for the first time in history. By the end of December 2013 the team was ranked in the last position with only 10 points from 13 matches, 7 points away from the safe zone. However, with
Gugash Magani Gugash Magani (born 14 March 1965) is an Albanian Association football, football coach and a former player. Club career Magani played the majority of his 22-year professional career with Shkumbini Peqin, while also having stints at other Albania ...
as manager and a strong transfer market, the team bounced back and eventually finished in 6th position, escaping the relegation only in the penultimate match. On 26 June 2014, the Tirana city council approved a proposal to give private donors a 66% stake in the club's assets for the next 18 years, which at the time fell in the hands of
Refik Halili Refik Halili is the chairman and main sponsor of KF Tirana. Since 2003, Halili had been one of the sponsors of the club. His duty as Chairman of KF Tirana started on May 29, 2008. He is a businessman and founder and owner of one of Albania's lead ...
and Lulzim Morina, which enabled such donors to invest in players, facilities and youth teams. Tirana begun the 2014–15 season with high expectations, challenging for the title in the first part of the season. In the second part, however, the team declined and ultimately finished in 5th position. In cup, Tirana was controversially eliminated from Laçi in the semi-final 1–0 on aggregate. Laçi eventually won the final against Kukësi, leaving Tirana without Europa League football once again. The club was relegated during the 2016–17 season. From title contender halfway through the season, Tirana fell continuously to dramatically succumb to relegation for the first time in their history.
Ilir Daja Ilir Daja (born 20 October 1966) is an Albanian professional football coach and former player. He is the current manager of Dinamo City. He has won the Albanian League as a coach with three clubs: Elbasani, Dinamo Tirana and Skënderbeu. He a ...
was sacked on 1 November following a goalless draw against Vllaznia Shkodër, and was replaced by the returned
Mirel Josa Mirel Josa (born 1 June 1963) is an Albanian football coach and a former player. As a player, he played in the Greek Alpha Ethniki for Nea Kavala and Aris, as well as making 27 international appearances for the Albania national football team bet ...
. The club also broke the relationship with the fans after allowing with their lifetime rivals
Partizani Tirana Futboll Klub Partizani is an Albanian professional football club based in Tirana, that competes in the Kategoria Superiore. Founded in 1946, the club was historically affiliated to the Albanian army. Partizani's home ground is the newly built sta ...
to play at
Selman Stërmasi Stadium The Selman Stërmasi Stadium () is a multi-purpose stadium in Tirana, Albania. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of KF Tirana. The stadium holds 9,500 people (all seated). It is named after Selman Stërma ...
; they opposed such an agreement and subsequently abandoned the matches for the entire season as a result. Tirana then endured a 15 winless match streak before winning 2–0 against
Korabi Peshkopi KF Korabi is an Albanian football club based in Peshkopi, named after the nearby Mount Korab, which is the tallest mountain in Albania and North Macedonia. The club's home ground is the Korabi Stadium. History Early years The club was founded ...
. Their relegation was officially confirmed on 27 May following a goalless draw versus fellow relegation strugglers Vllaznia Shkodër. In cup, Tirana did much better, winning their 16th trophy on 31 May after defeating 3–1 Skënderbeu Korçë at
Elbasan Arena Elbasan Arena (, formerly known as Ruzhdi Bizhuta) is a multi-purpose stadium in Elbasan, Albania. The stadium was completed in 1967 and has been the home ground of KF Elbasani ever since. The stadium was under reconstruction and was official ...
. This meant the return of Tirana in European competitions after five years. Tirana retained most of their players ahead of the new season. The club appointed former
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
international Zé Maria as the new manager. The team eliminated from the
UEFA Europa League The UEFA Europa League (UEL), usually known simply as the Europa League, is an annual association football, football club competition organised since 1971 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European footb ...
by
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
's
Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv () is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such as football, basketball, j ...
In September 2017, Tirana won another trophy, their 11th
Albanian Supercup The Albanian Supercup is a single match usually at the beginning of the season between the winners of the Kategoria Superiore and Albanian Cup. Prior to 2000, Supercup final was not played when the champion team won the Double. However, after the ...
after winning 1–0 against Kukësi. Winning two major domestic trophies and also participating in Europe, Tirana set an astonishing record by becoming the first and only
Albanian First Division Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
side to achieve this feat. In the league Tirana dominated with hammering results in either home or away matches. Club's goal of a quick promotion in Superliga was reached with three spare rounds to play. Tirana won their first ever
Albanian First Division Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
title on 16 May by winning 2–0 against the Group A winners
Kastrioti Krujë Klubi Sportiv Kastrioti is an Albanian football club based in the city of Krujë. The club's home ground used to be the Kastrioti Stadium, but after the stadium got closed and demolished, Kastrioti decided to move to the Kamëz Stadium in Kamëz, ...
.


2019–present: 100th anniversary and return to top-flight as a powerhouse

Tirana won the 25th championship in the 2019–20 season which was also the club's 100th anniversary. It was the first title after 11 years. During the season the team recorded two wins against Partizani, ending the negative record of 18 winless matches against them; the 5–1 win in February 2020 was the biggest since 2005.
Ndubuisi Egbo Ndubuisi Emmanuel Egbo (born 25 July 1973) is a Nigerian professional football manager and former player. Egbo played as a goalkeeper during his professional career, most notably representing Tirana, winning with them three trophies. He was ...
took charge of the team starting in the 13th matchday; he was highly praised for his work and also become the first African coach to win a league title in Europe. In cup, the team managed to reach the final but was defeated 2–0 by Teuta. In the summer of 2020, Tirana reached the play-off of
UEFA Europa League The UEFA Europa League (UEL), usually known simply as the Europa League, is an annual association football, football club competition organised since 1971 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European footb ...
, becoming the second Albanian club to achieve this feat after Skënderbeu. They were eliminated by
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
's
BSC Young Boys Berner Sport Club Young Boys (YB by short abbreviation, ) is a Swiss professional sports club based in Bern, Switzerland. Its first team has won 17 Swiss league championships and eight Swiss Cups. YB is one of the most successful Swiss footbal ...
. During the domestic season, Tirana failed to defend the title and finished a disappointing 5th place. Coach Egbo was fired and replaced by Orges Shehi halfway through the season. In the next campaign, Tirana dominated the championship and won it for the 26th time in history. Aided by the attacking duo Taulant Seferi and Redon Xhixha, and players such as Ennur Totre, Vesel Limaj, Visar Bekaj, and Ardit Toli, Tirana secured the title with three rounds to spare.


Grounds


Shallvare (1920–46)

The club's first home ground was the
Shallvare Shallvare was a football stadium in Tiranë, Albania. It was home to KF Tirana from 1920 until 1946, when the club moved to the Qemal Stafa Stadium. It was located in the centre of Tiranë, nearby the existing Shallvare block. Aside from football ...
, located in the centre of
Tirana Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in Albania, largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest ov ...
where today is the existing Shallvare block, acquired by the club prior to their formation in 1920. The also field served as an amusement centre for the youth of Tirana to enjoy, and it was a popular gathering place where various games were played during religious holidays. Before its use as a football ground the site was use by the Ottoman garrison as a playground, and in 1916 it served as a runway for the
Austrian-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops The Austro-Hungarian Aviation Troops or Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops ( or , ) were the air force of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the empire's dissolution in 1918; it saw combat on both the Eastern Front and Italian Front dur ...
. The club played their first game at the Shallvare in 1920 against a team made up of the occupying Austrian-Hungarians. In 1925 there were changing rooms built at the ground, and in the early 1930s there was an athletics track built around the football pitch. The administrator of the ground was the football referee, Besim Hamdiu (Qorri), who only had one assistant in the maintenance of the ground. The ground did not have a main stand or seating area for spectators, but rather a two storied building that was constructed in 1923 by a member of parliament Masar Këlliçi . The building stood 50 metres away from the football pitch and was located in line with the middle of the pitch, with its balcony facing the field and the
Dajt Dajt is a former municipality in the Tirana County, central Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Tirana. The population as of the 2023 census is 35,170. The municipal unit took its name from the ...
mountains. The ground was also used for other sporting events as well as military parades, one of which the president and later king
Ahmet Zogu Zog I (born Ahmed Muhtar Zogolli; 8 October 18959 April 1961) was the leader of Albania from 1922 to 1939. At age 27, he first served as Albania's youngest ever Prime Minister (1922–1924), then as president (1925–1928), and finally as King ...
attended in 1927. The ground was destroyed in 1951 and Soviet–style apartment blocks were built onto of it instead.


Qemal Stafa Stadium (1946–2015)

The home ground of KF Tirana is
Selman Stërmasi Stadium The Selman Stërmasi Stadium () is a multi-purpose stadium in Tirana, Albania. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of KF Tirana. The stadium holds 9,500 people (all seated). It is named after Selman Stërma ...
, which is shared with city rivals
Dinamo Tirana Football Club Dinamo City, commonly referred to as Dinamo City and colloquially known as Dinamo, is an Albanian professional football club based out of Tirana. They compete in the Kategoria Superiore, the top tier of Albanian football. Founded i ...
and
Partizani Tirana Futboll Klub Partizani is an Albanian professional football club based in Tirana, that competes in the Kategoria Superiore. Founded in 1946, the club was historically affiliated to the Albanian army. Partizani's home ground is the newly built sta ...
. However, most derby and significant matches are played at the national team's
Qemal Stafa Stadium The Qemal Stafa Stadium (), named after Qemal Stafa (1920–1942), a World War II hero, was a national stadium and the largest football stadium in Tirana, Albania. Construction started in 1939 and the stadium was inaugurated in 1946 for the Ba ...
; the stadium is also used if the Selman Stërmasi Stadium is unavailable as it is used by three different teams. The club has expressed its desire to rebuild the current Selman Stërmasi Stadium into a modern complex with around 15,000 to 20,000 seats. They want it to be Albania's first modern post-Communism stadium without an athletic track around the field, which they hope will provide more atmosphere and attract more fans. However, it has not yet been decided when this will be built but it is rumoured to be the club's 100th anniversary present in 2020.


Selman Stërmasi Stadium (1956–present)

KF Tirana plays most of its official and friendly games at the
Selman Stërmasi Stadium The Selman Stërmasi Stadium () is a multi-purpose stadium in Tirana, Albania. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of KF Tirana. The stadium holds 9,500 people (all seated). It is named after Selman Stërma ...
in Tirana. The Selman Stërmasi Stadium was built in 1956 and was previously named the 'Dinamo' Stadium until 1991 when it was permanently given its new name. The
Football Association of Albania The Albanian Football Federation (; FSHF) is the governing body of football in Albania. Headquartered in Tirana, it organises the national football leagues of Kategoria Superiore, Kategoria e Parë, Kategoria e Dytë, Kategoria e Tretë, Alba ...
and the club decided to name the stadium post mortem after the eminent KF Tirana player, coach and president,
Selman Stërmasi Selman Stërmasi (9 May 1908 – 9 October 1976) was an Albanian football player and coach who was an instrumental figure in the early history of KF Tirana. He is generally considered to be one of the club's greatest figures and KF Tirana along ...
. The stadium has a capacity of 12,500 (8,400 seated). In December 2014, another phase of reconstruction was started, involving a new pitch, central main covered stand, central fans stand including two extra rows extension, broken or missing seats replacements/repairs, interior facilities, general lineaments and a shopping center just under central seated. The internal facilities include general repairs, a press conference room, journalists' corner and modern showers. The side fans stands will temporary be shut and covered by advertising boards. It is still unclear when will stadium scoreboard and clock be fitted. The main parking area is located at the front of the stadium, which leads to the entrance. The whole external part of the stadium is surrounded by a 2.7 M (9 ft) rail fence.


Skënder Halili Complex

The club's training ground is called the
Skënder Halili Complex The Skënder Halili Complex is the sports training facility and academy headquarters of Albanian football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal ...
and it is located off Rruga e Kavajës, near the
Birra Tirana Birra Tirana ''()'' is a beer company based in Tirana, Albania. It is the largest beer producer and the largest selling beer in the country. It is also exported and sold in Kosovo and the United States. The company is fabricated by Birra Malto Bre ...
factory. The training complex was posthumously named after Skënder Halili, who was one of the club's most notable associates, both during his playing career and after. The complex features a full sized natural grass football pitch, as well as a smaller astro turf fan along with dressing rooms used by senior team as well as some of the youth teams. In December 2014 work began on both the Skënder Halili Complex and the
Selman Stërmasi Stadium The Selman Stërmasi Stadium () is a multi-purpose stadium in Tirana, Albania. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of KF Tirana. The stadium holds 9,500 people (all seated). It is named after Selman Stërma ...
in order to fully renovate these grounds to be used by the club, and at the training ground the training facilities were all improved which included the dressing rooms and even the single stand that holds a small number of spectators for those wishing to attend training sessions and even occasional friendlies that are played at the ground.


Supporters

Tirana is considered to be one of the most supported football clubs in Albania, and its supporters also formed the first
Ultras Ultras are a type of association football fans who are known for their fanatical support. The term originated in Italy, but is used worldwide to describe predominantly organised fans of association football teams. The behavioural tendency ...
group in the country in 1986 called Ultras Tirona. The group was forced to operate illegally as the communist regime did not allow such organised groups to function. However, despite this, its supporters used games as an outlet to show their dissent against the regime in place and following the fall of communism in Albania they became more organised and attracted more supporters in the late 90s and early 2000s. During the mid-2000s, younger supporters began to emerge on the scene and felt that the older Ultras Tirona did not entirely represent them, which led to the younger supporters forming a new Ultras group called the Tirona Fanatics on 8 January 2006.They are now the best ultras in Albania Tirona Fanatics are widely regarded as a right wing tifo-group, whereas Ultras Guerrils are mostly associated with the left due to their history. The group quickly rose in membership and became the most organised supporters group in Albania, following Tirana home and away, including European games. On 20 May 2015 the majority of the founding members of Tirona Fanatics decided to hand over the management of the group to younger supporters. The group has partnerships withMacedonian group Shvercerat of
FK Shkupi FC Shkupi (, ) is a professional football club based in Čair, Skopje, North Macedonia. The club plays in the Macedonian First Football League, which is the top tier of football in North Macedonia. History After financial issues with main s ...
. KF Tirana has another Ultras group called "Capital Crew" which offer a spectacular atmosphere when they are in the stadium.


Rivalries

Tirana have three main rivals. Vllaznia Shkodër, the oldest derby in the country, with the matches between them called the All-time Albanian derby. The other rivalries are the Tirana derbies with
Dinamo Tirana Football Club Dinamo City, commonly referred to as Dinamo City and colloquially known as Dinamo, is an Albanian professional football club based out of Tirana. They compete in the Kategoria Superiore, the top tier of Albanian football. Founded i ...
and
Partizani Tirana Futboll Klub Partizani is an Albanian professional football club based in Tirana, that competes in the Kategoria Superiore. Founded in 1946, the club was historically affiliated to the Albanian army. Partizani's home ground is the newly built sta ...
. However, since 2010s, they have developed a fierce rivalry with
Skënderbeu Korçë Gjergj Kastrioti (17 January 1468), commonly known as Skanderbeg, was an Albanian feudal lord and military commander who led a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire in what is today Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serb ...
since the latter side's rise to prominence.


Identity

The official coat of arms of KF Tirana has undergone several changes over the years. After 1990, the
Clock Tower Clock towers are a specific type of structure that house a turret clock and have one or more clock faces on the upper exterior walls. Many clock towers are freestanding structures but they can also adjoin or be located on top of another building ...
was placed on the coat of arms, which is one of the most important monuments of the city.The last change of the coat of arms took place in 2020, the year the club celebrated its 100th anniversary. The club a few months ago announced a competition for the new crest, which would be chosen by fans' works. The winner was announced in February 2020. The new coat of arms bore similarities to the current one; The
Clock Tower Clock towers are a specific type of structure that house a turret clock and have one or more clock faces on the upper exterior walls. Many clock towers are freestanding structures but they can also adjoin or be located on top of another building ...
was moved to the left, as well as two zeros were added to its wings, while below it read 1920–2020, to symbolize the 100th anniversary.The club announced that it would use this crest for the whole of 2020.


The Colors

The traditional colors of KF Tirana have been white and blue.These two colors have also been dominant in the team's jerseys, especially in home games. Other colors, such as black and gray, have been used in cases where the team has played with the second or third jerseys. The goalkeeper jersey has been in different colors, such as yellow, blue, grey, green or black.


Current squad


Tirana U–21 and Youth Sector


Out on loan


Retired numbers


Other clubs


Tirana B

Klubi i Futbollit Tirana B is an Albanian football club based in
Tirana Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in Albania, largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest ov ...
. It was founded in 1932, but was dissolved before it was refounded again on 22 January 2013.


Tirana U-21

KF Tirana U-21 is an Albanian football club based in Tirana. It was founded in 2019.


Reserves and academy

The KF Tirana Reserves and Academy () are the reserve team of KF Tirana, They play in the North section of the Albanian U-19 Superliga and Albanian U-17 Superliga.


Honours

Tirana are the most successful and decorated club in Albania, having won 26 league titles, a national record. The club's first trophy was also the first Albanian National Championship, held in
1930 Events January * January 15 – The Moon moves into its nearest point to Earth, called perigee, at the same time as its fullest phase of the Lunar Cycle. This is the closest moon distance at in recent history, and the next one will be on J ...
, which was also the first official football competition in the country. The club also holds the record for the most
Albanian Cup The Albanian Cup () is the main "knockout" competition in Albanian football. The competition started in 1939 as Kupa e Mbretit ( English:"The King's Cup"). The cup was suspended for the next eight years as the Second World War started. It start ...
s (16) and
Albanian Supercup The Albanian Supercup is a single match usually at the beginning of the season between the winners of the Kategoria Superiore and Albanian Cup. Prior to 2000, Supercup final was not played when the champion team won the Double. However, after the ...
s (12). The club's most recent trophy was the 2022 Albanian Supercup won on 7 December 2022. * ** Tirana have won two more championships played during seasons
1939 This year also marks the start of the World War II, Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Events related to World War II have a "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Coming into effect in Nazi Ger ...
and
1942 The Uppsala Conflict Data Program project estimates this to be the deadliest year in human history in terms of conflict deaths, placing the death toll at 4.62 million. However, the Correlates of War estimates that the prior year, 1941, was th ...
. However, AFA have not yet officially recognised them. *** The championship of
1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...
has not been recognised by
UEFA The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; ; ) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs football, futsal and beach soccer, beach football in Europe and the List of transcontinental countries#A ...
due to huge irregularities which caused the European governing association to disallow the "fake" champions participating in European Cup.


Records and statistics


Domestic

*Biggest ever home league victory: Tirana 11–0
Flamurtari Vlorë Flamurtari Football Club is an Albanian professional football club based in Vlorë, Albania. The club plays in the Kategoria Superiore, which is the first tier of football in the country. Founded in 1923, the club is one of the oldest in Alba ...
(5 July 1936)
Tirana 11–0 Besëlidhja Lezhë (6 June 1937)
Tirana 11–0 Erzeni (1960) *Biggest ever home league defeat: Tirana 0–6 Vllaznia Shkodër (1947)
Tirana 0-6
Skënderbeu Korçë Gjergj Kastrioti (17 January 1468), commonly known as Skanderbeg, was an Albanian feudal lord and military commander who led a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire in what is today Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serb ...
(1947) *Biggest ever away league victory: Elbasani 2–9 Tirana (12 June 1932)
Pogradeci 1–8 Tirana (1953) *Biggest ever away league defeat:
Besa Kavajë Besa or BESA may refer to: Arts & entertainment * ''Besa'' (newspaper), a newspaper published in Albania * ''Besa'' (TV series), a Serbian-British television series produced by Adrenalin and Red Planet Pictures * ''The Besa'', a novel by Albanian ...
7-1 Tirana (1991) * Most league appearances: Elvis Sina (392) * Most league goals:
Indrit Fortuzi Indrit Shaban Fortuzi (born 23 November 1973) is an Albanian retired national football forward who has played almost all his career for Tirana. Club career Nicknamed ''Zogu'' (bird), he has also played for Dinamo Tirana and in Greece for Ir ...
(152) *Most points in a season: 84 (2004–05) *Fewest points in a season: 7 (1940) *Most wins in a season: 26 (2004–05) *Fewest wins in a season: 3 (1931, 1933, 1940, 1942) *Most draws in a season: 18 (2024-25) *Fewest draws in a season: 0 (1939, 1946) *Most losses in a season: 13 (1972–73, 1976–77, 1991–92, 2016–17, 2018–19) *Fewest losses in a season: 0 (1932, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1942) *Best Goal Differential: +66 (1936) *Worst Goal Differential: -5 (1972–73)


Europe

* Highest stage reached in Champions League: Round of 16 (1982–83, 1988–89, 1989–90) * Highest stage reached in
Europa League The UEFA Europa League (UEL), usually known simply as the Europa League, is an annual association football, football club competition organised since 1971 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European footb ...
: Play-Off (2020–21) * Highest stage reached in Conference League: 2QR (2022–23), (2023–24) * Highest stage reached in
Cup Winners' Cup The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a European football club competition contested annually by the winners of domestic cup competitions. The competition's official name was originally the European Cup Winners' Cup; it was renamed the UEFA Cup Winne ...
: Round of 16 (1986–87) * Highest stage reached in
Balkans Cup The Balkans Cup was an international football competition for clubs from Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Turkey, and Yugoslavia. It was introduced in 1961 and was very popular in the 1960s (the 1967 final attracted 42,000 spectators), being ...
: Runners-up (1981–83) *Biggest ever European home victory: Tirana 5–0
Sliema Wanderers Sliema Wanderers Football Club, nicknamed "tax-Xelin" ( of the shilling), is a professional Maltese football club. It is the most successful team in Malta and hails from the seaside town of Sliema. It currently plays in the Maltese Premier Leagu ...
(Sept 27, 1989) *Biggest ever European home defeat: Tirana 2–6 NK Croatia Zagreb (24 July 1996) *Biggest ever European away victory:
FC Gomel FC Gomel () is a Belarusian association football, football club based in the city of Gomel. Their home stadium is Central Stadium (Gomel), Central Stadium. History Teams from Gomel (usually city or raion selection or railway-based team ''Lokomo ...
0–2 Tirana (14 July 2004)
FC Dinamo Tbilisi FC Dinamo Tbilisi ( ka, დინამო თბილისი, ) is a Georgian professional football club based in Tbilisi that competes in the Erovnuli Liga, the top flight of Georgian football. Dinamo Tbilisi was one of the most prom ...
0-2 Tirana (19 August 2020) *Biggest ever European away defeat: Aalesund 5–0 Tirana (26 July 2012) * Most European appearances: Elvis Sina (31) * Most European goals:
Indrit Fortuzi Indrit Shaban Fortuzi (born 23 November 1973) is an Albanian retired national football forward who has played almost all his career for Tirana. Club career Nicknamed ''Zogu'' (bird), he has also played for Dinamo Tirana and in Greece for Ir ...
(10)


Players

;Most appearances Appearances in competitive matches Below is the list with top ten players with most appearances in all competitions for KF Tirana. ;Most goals ;Kategoria Superiore Golden Boot List of Kategoria Superiore top scorers (Kategoria Superiore top scorers). ;Most championships won ''(4 times or more)''


KF Tirana statistics in Kategoria Superiore

Since the
Kategoria Superiore Kategoria Superiore (), also known as Abissnet Superiore for sponsorship reasons with internet service provider, Abissnet, is a professional league for men's association football clubs in Albania. At the top of the Albanian football league syste ...
began in 1930, KF Tirana have played 2096 Superliga matches, scored 3438 goals and conceded 1873. The club has collected so far 3132 points, won 1079 games, drawn 543 and lost 474. The club's goal difference is +1565 and the winning difference is +605. ''Data correct up to the end of the 2022–23 season.''


Recent seasons


Record transfers


Divisional movements


KF Tirana in Europe

In addition to being the leader team in all domestic competitions, KF Tirana have also given the best performances in Europe among Albanian squads winning 14 ties in Europe (including once directly by draw, without playing). They reached Round of 16 in European Competitions four times, of which three times in the
European Cup The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club association football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that is contested by top-division European clubs. The competition begins with a round robi ...
(now Champions League) alone in 1980s, making it the Albanian team to have progressed farthest in any European competition. White and blues hold the all-time record for the highest
IFFHS The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) is an organisation that chronicles the history and records of association football. It was founded in 1984 by Alfredo Pöge in Leipzig. The IFFHS was based in Abu Dhabi for so ...
ranking of an Albanian football club, being ranked as high as 31st in the world in 1987, as result of good results preceded 1986–87. In their European path, Tirana have played against "big guns" such as:
Ajax Ajax may refer to: Greek mythology and tragedy * Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and Periboea * Ajax the Lesser, a Greek mythological hero, son of Oileus, the king of Locris * Ajax (play), ''Ajax'' (play), by the an ...
,
Bayern Munich Fußball-Club Bayern München e. V. (FCB, ), commonly known as Bayern Munich (), FC Bayern () or simply Bayern, is a German professional sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. They are most known for their men's professional football team, ...
, etc. Drawn against teams such as
Dinamo București A dynamo is a magnetic device originally used as an electric generator. Dynamo or Dinamo may also refer to: Places * Dinamo (Moscow Metro), a station of the Moscow Metro, Moscow, Russia * Dinamo (Yekaterinburg Metro), a station of the Yekaterin ...
,
Ferencváros Ferencváros (, ) is the 9th district of Budapest (), Hungary. Name The southern suburb of Pest was named after King Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, Francis I on 4 December 1792 when he was crowned king of Hungary. History The developmen ...
,
CSKA Sofia CSKA Sofia () is a Bulgarian professional association football club based in Sofia and currently competing in the country's premier football competition, the First League. ''CSKA'' is an abbreviation for ''Central Sports Club of the Army'' ...
, Young Boys,
Utrecht Utrecht ( ; ; ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city of the Netherlands, as well as the capital and the most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. The ...
,
Dinamo Zagreb Građanski nogometni klub Dinamo Zagreb (), commonly referred to as simply Dinamo Zagreb (), is a Croatian professional football club based in Zagreb. Dinamo play their home matches at Stadion Maksimir. They are the most successful club in Cr ...
,
IFK Göteborg Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna Göteborg (officially IFK Göteborg Fotboll), commonly known as IFK Göteborg, IFK (especially locally) or Blåvitt, is a Swedish professional Football team, football club based in Gothenburg. Founded in 1904, it ...
,
Malmö FF Malmö Fotbollförening (), commonly known simply as Malmö FF or MFF, is a Swedish professional football club based in Malmö, Scania. They compete in the Allsvenskan, the top division of Swedish football, and play home matches at the Eleda S ...
,
Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège ( ; ; ) or simply Standard in Belgium, is a Belgian professional football club based in the city of Liège. They are one of the most successful clubs in Belgium, having won t ...
,
Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club (; ''Moadon Kaduregel Maccabi Tel Aviv'') is an Israeli professional football club from Tel Aviv and part of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Sport Club. Founded in 1906 in Jaffa as the HaRishon Le Zion-Yafo Association, i ...
,
Red Star Belgrade Fudbalski klub Crvena zvezda ( sr-cyrl, Фудбалски клуб Црвена звезда, lit=Red Star Football Club), commonly referred to as Crvena zvezda () and colloquially referred to as Red Star Belgrade in anglophone media, is a ...
, Besiktas JK etc. In one of the few team's good performances (the 2004–05 season) after having passed
FC Gomel FC Gomel () is a Belarusian association football, football club based in the city of Gomel. Their home stadium is Central Stadium (Gomel), Central Stadium. History Teams from Gomel (usually city or raion selection or railway-based team ''Lokomo ...
of
Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...
in the first round 2:1 on aggregate, KF Tirana played against
Ferencváros Ferencváros (, ) is the 9th district of Budapest (), Hungary. Name The southern suburb of Pest was named after King Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, Francis I on 4 December 1792 when he was crowned king of Hungary. History The developmen ...
in the second round. Having lost the first leg 3–2 at home, Tirana led 1–0 in Budapest; however, they were unable to score the one extra goal they needed, having missed a penalty and hit the woodwork twice, and were eliminated on away goals, the tie finishing 3–3 on aggregate. Another good performance was reaching the play-off stage in Europa League 2020-21. Following a 2–0 away victory against
Dinamo Tbilisi Dinamo Tbilisi is a sports club from Tbilisi, Georgia (country), Georgia. It was founded in 1925. Among its highest honors, is the European trophy earned by its Association football, football team which won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1981, beating ...
in the first round of Champions League, they were eliminated by
Red Star A red star, five-pointed and filled, is a symbol that has often historically been associated with communist ideology, particularly in combination with the hammer and sickle, but is also used as a purely socialist symbol in the 21st century. ...
in the following round, losing 0–1 in Air Albania Stadium and moving to Europa League third round (lucky draw). Which saw Tirana play in play-off against
BSC Young Boys Berner Sport Club Young Boys (YB by short abbreviation, ) is a Swiss professional sports club based in Bern, Switzerland. Its first team has won 17 Swiss league championships and eight Swiss Cups. YB is one of the most successful Swiss footbal ...
in Bern, where they were defeated 3–0 and failed to qualify for the group stage. Tirana reached the first qualification in the
UEFA Conference League The UEFA Conference League (UECL), usually known simply as the Conference League, is an annual football competition organised since 2021 by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European football clubs. It is the thir ...
in the first round against the Georgians of
FC Dinamo Batumi FC Dinamo Batumi ( ka, საფეხბურთო კლუბი დინამო ბათუმი) is a Georgian professional football club based in Batumi, Adjara that competes in the Erovnuli Liga, the top division of the national f ...
with a 2-1 victory in Batumi after a 1-1 draw in Tirana with a goal by Regi Lushkja, while in the second round they faced the Turkish giants
Beşiktaş J.K. Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü (, ), abbreviated as BJK, is a Turkish professional sports club founded in 1903 that is based in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul. The club's football team is one of the Big Three in Turkey and one of the most ...
where they won both games 3-1 in Istanbul at
Beşiktaş Stadium Beşiktaş Stadyumu (currently known as the Tüpraş Stadyumu for sponsorship reasons) is an all-seater stadium, all-seater, multi-purpose stadium in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, Turkey. It is the home ground of Beşiktaş J.K., Beşikt ...
and 2-0 in Tirana at Air Albania Stadium


European performance table


World and European rankings

;UEFA club coefficient ranking ''(As of 06 October 2024)'' ;World club coefficient ranking ''(As of 06 June 2024)''


European campaigns – Finals achievements


Player records

*Most appearances in UEFA club competitions: 31 appearances: ** Elvis Sina *Top scorer in UEFA club competitions: 10 goals –
Indrit Fortuzi Indrit Shaban Fortuzi (born 23 November 1973) is an Albanian retired national football forward who has played almost all his career for Tirana. Club career Nicknamed ''Zogu'' (bird), he has also played for Dinamo Tirana and in Greece for Ir ...


List of managers


Managerial record

(i) = interim


Personnel


Management


Kit suppliers

Source:


KF Tirana Sponsorship


Presidents

Tirana have had numerous presidents over the course of their history, some of which have been the owners of the club, others have been administrators and honorary presidents such as
Bamir Topi Bamir Myrteza Topi (; born 24 April 1957)CV at Albanian presidency website
.
i ...
and Fatmir Frashëri. The president has historically taken sole charge of the club, except for the period between 2007 and 2008, when was the presidency was formally vacant and numerous donors managed the club. The club have had a total of 13 president and 15 presidencies since 1920, with only
Bamir Topi Bamir Myrteza Topi (; born 24 April 1957)CV at Albanian presidency website
.
i ...
and
Refik Halili Refik Halili is the chairman and main sponsor of KF Tirana. Since 2003, Halili had been one of the sponsors of the club. His duty as Chairman of KF Tirana started on May 29, 2008. He is a businessman and founder and owner of one of Albania's lead ...
having held the position on two occasions. The longest serving president is
Selman Stërmasi Selman Stërmasi (9 May 1908 – 9 October 1976) was an Albanian football player and coach who was an instrumental figure in the early history of KF Tirana. He is generally considered to be one of the club's greatest figures and KF Tirana along ...
who took charge of the club for 24 years between 1936 and 1960, while the shortest presidency belongs to Fatmir Frashëri, who took charge for one year between 2004 and 2005. Between 1999 and 2004, Egyptian national Metwally El Sayed managed the club as President, becoming the club's only foreign President in the history. Here is a complete list of club president from when Bahri Toptani took over at the club in 1920, until the present day.


See also

* Albanian football clubs in European competitions *
Tirana Rugby Club Tirana Rugby Club ( Albanian:Klubi Regbisë Tirana) is a rugby team based in Tirana, Albania. Established in August 2013, it is the first and oldest rugby team in Albania. Pre-foundation In 2011, rugby was promoted as the next major sport in ...


Notes and references


Notes


External links

*
KF Tirana
at UEFA.com
KF Tirana
at
Albanian Football Association The Albanian Football Federation (; FSHF) is the governing body of football in Albania. Headquartered in Tirana, it organises the national football leagues of Kategoria Superiore, Kategoria e Parë, Kategoria e Dytë, Kategoria e Tretë, Alba ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tirana Football clubs in Tirana Sport in Tirana Football clubs in Albania Association football clubs established in 1920 1920 establishments in Albania