# KF Tirana in European football

KF Tirana are the Albanian football club with the best performance through all European competitions. They have the most participations, matches, wins, points and experience in Europe among all other Albanian clubs.
Tirana holds the record for the most ties won (14) (once directly by draw) along their road. They are the most successful Albanian team in European competitions, since making their European debut in the 1965–66 European Cup and the first Albanian squad to win a tie in European performances. They reached Round of 16 four times, of which three times in the European Cup (now Champions League) alone in 1980s, making it the Albanian team to have progressed farthest in any European competition. Tirana is the team that were able to overturn the first leg negative result to their advantage in at least four occasions; worth to remember their great second legs wins against Ħamrun Spartans, FC Bobruisk, Dinamo Tbilisi, ND Gorica; additionally good overturns against Apollon Limassol and Ferencvarosi TC. Even though at 14 attempts they have not passed more than one round, KF Tirana are the Albanian team which has won more ties in Europe throughout their long history. Another significant international result comes at Balkans Cup of season 1981 where they went on the final, but lost both matches against Beroe Stara Zagora.
Along their European road, KF Tirana has met many famous squads in Europe, such as: FC Bayern Munich, Standard Liège, AFC Ajax, Malmö FF, IFK Göteborg, Ferencvárosi TC, PFC CSKA Sofia, Red Star, Besiktas JK. etc., and in many of such matches has given unforgettable performances.
Additionally, white and blues hold the all-time record for the highest IFFHS ranking of an Albanian football club, being ranked as high as 31st in the world in 1987, as result of good performances preceded 1986–87. KF Tirana started competing for the first time in the European Cup 1965–66. Below are all matches played and up-to-date rankings.

## European performance table

| Season | Competition | Round | Opposition | Home | Away |
| 1964–66 | Balkans Cup | Group B | Cherno More Varna | 0–0 | 0–1 |
| 1964–66 | Balkans Cup | Group B | Beşiktaş J.K. | 2–0 | 1–1 |
| 1964–66 | Balkans Cup | Group B | Rapid București | 1–2 | 1–3 |
| 1965–66 | European Champion Clubs' Cup | 1R | Kilmarnock F.C. | 0–0 | 0–1 |
| 1966–67 | European Champion Clubs' Cup | 1R | Vålerenga | n.p | n.p |
| 1969–70 | European Champion Clubs' Cup | 1R | Standard Liège | 1–1 | 0–3 |
| 1970–71 | European Champion Clubs' Cup | 1R | AFC Ajax | 2–2 | 0–2 |
| 1975 | Balkans Cup | Group B | Panionios | 6–0 | 1–2 |
| 1975 | Balkans Cup | Group B | Radnički Niš | 0–0 | 0–3 |
| 1981-83 | Balkans Cup | Group B | Larissa | 3–0 | 1–3 |
| 1981-83 | Balkans Cup | Group B | Sloboda Tuzla | n.d | n.d |
| 1981-83 | Balkans Cup | Final | Beroe Stara Zagora | 0-1 | 0-3 |
| 1982–83 | European Champion Clubs' Cup | 1R | Linfield | 1–0 | 1–2 |
| 1982–83 | European Champion Clubs' Cup | Round of 16 | Dynamo Kyiv | n.p | n.p |
| 1983–84 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 1R | Hammarby IF | 2–1 | 0–3 |
| 1986–87 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 1R | FC Dinamo București | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| 1986–87 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | Round of 16 | Malmö FF | 0–3 | 0–0 |
| 1988–89 | European Champion Clubs' Cup | 1R | Ħamrun Spartans | 2–0 | 1–2 |
| 1988–89 | European Champion Clubs' Cup | Round of 16 | IFK Göteborg | 0–3 | 0–1 |
| 1989–90 | European Champion Clubs' Cup | 1R | Sliema Wanderers | 5–0 | 0–1 |
| 1989–90 | European Champion Clubs' Cup | Round of 16 | FC Bayern Munich | 0–3 | 1–3 |
| 1990–91 | Balkans Cup | QF | Budućnost Titograd | 0–0 | 1–2 |
| 1994–95 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | QR | FC Bobruisk | 3–0 | 1–4 |
| 1994–95 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 1R | Brøndby IF | 0–1 | 0–3 |
| 1995–96 | UEFA Cup | QR | Hapoel Be'er Sheva FC | 0–1 | 0–2 |
| 1996–97 | UEFA Cup | 1QR | NK Croatia Zagreb | 2–6 | 0–4 |
| 1998–99 | UEFA Cup | 1QR | FK Inter Bratislava | 0–2 | 0–2 |
| 1999–00 | UEFA Champions League | 1QR | Íþróttabandalag Vestmannaeyja | 1–2 | 0–1 |
| 2000–01 | UEFA Champions League | 1QR | FC Zimbru Chisinau | 2–3 | 2–3 |
| 2001–02 | UEFA Cup | QR | Apollon Limassol | 3–2 | 1–3 |
| 2002–03 | UEFA Cup | QR | Național București | 0–1 | 2–2 |
| 2003–04 | UEFA Champions League | 1Q | Dinamo Tbilisi | 3–0 (4:2 p) | 0–3 |
| 2003–04 | UEFA Champions League | 2QR | Grazer AK | 1–5 | 1–2 |
| 2004–05 | UEFA Champions League | 1QR | FC Gomel | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| 2004–05 | UEFA Champions League | 2QR | Ferencvárosi TC | 2–3 | 1–0 |
| 2005–06 | UEFA Champions League | 1QR | ND Gorica | 3–0 | 0–2 |
| 2005–06 | UEFA Champions League | 2QR | PFC CSKA Sofia | 0–2 | 0–2 |
| 2006–07 | UEFA Cup | 1QR | NK Varteks | 2–0 | 1–1 |
| 2006–07 | UEFA Cup | 2QR | Kayserispor | 0–2 | 1–3 |
| 2007–08 | UEFA Champions League | 1QR | NK Domžale | 1–2 | 0–1 |
| 2009–10 | UEFA Champions League | 2QR | Stabæk | 1–1 | 0–4 |
| 2010–11 | UEFA Europa League | 1QR | Zalaegerszegi TE | 0–0 | 1–0 (aet) |
| 2010–11 | UEFA Europa League | 2QR | FC Utrecht | 1–1 | 0–4 |
| 2011–12 | UEFA Europa League | 2QR | FC Spartak Trnava | 0–0 | 1–3 |
| 2012–13 | UEFA Europa League | 1QR | CS Grevenmacher | 2–0 | 0–0 |
| 2012–13 | UEFA Europa League | 2QR | Aalesunds FK | 1–1 | 0–5 |
| 2017–18 | UEFA Europa League | 1QR | Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. | 0–3 | 0–2 |
| 2020–21 | UEFA Champions League | 1QR | Dinamo Tbilisi | — | 2–0 |
| 2020–21 | UEFA Champions League | 2QR | Red Star Belgrade | 0−1 | — |
| 2020–21 | UEFA Europa League | 3QR | BYE | — | — |
| 2020–21 | UEFA Europa League | PO | Young Boys | — | 0−3 |
| 2022–23 | UEFA Champions League | 1QR | F91 Dudelange | 1−2 | 0–1 |
| 2022–23 | UEFA Europa Conference League | 2QR | HŠK Zrinjski | 0–1 | 2–3 |
| 2023–24 | UEFA Conference League | 1QR | Dinamo Batumi | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| 2023–24 | UEFA Conference League | 2QR | Besiktas JK | 1-3 | 0-2 |

### Balkans Cup performance

| Season | Round | Country | Home | Away |
| Balkans Cup 1964–66 | 1R | PFC Cherno More Varna | 0–0 | 0–1 |
| Balkans Cup 1964–66 | 1R | Beşiktaş J.K. | 2–0 | 1–1 |
| Balkans Cup 1964–66 | 1R | FC Rapid București | 1–2 | 1–3 |
| Balkans Cup 1975 | 1R | Panionios G.S.S. | 6–0 | 1–2 |
| Balkans Cup 1975 | 1R | FK Radnički Niš | 0–0 | 0–3 |
| Balkans Cup 1981 | 1R | Larissa F.C. | 3–0 | 1–3 |
| Balkans Cup 1981 | 2R | FK Sloboda Tuzla | 3–0 | 3–0 |
| Balkans Cup 1981 | Final | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 1–3 | 0–3 |
| Balkans Cup 1990 | 1R | FK Budućnost Podgorica | 0–0 | 0–1 |
* QR = Qualifying Round
* 1R = 1st round
* 2R = 2nd round
* n.p = non participation
| Overall | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| Home | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 5 | +11 |
| Away | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 17 | −10 |
| Total | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 23 | 22 | +1 |

### By country

| Country | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Q | E |
| Austria | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 0 | 1 |
| Belarus | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 2 | 0 |
| Belgium | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 0 | 1 |
| Bosnia | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 1 | 1 |
| Bulgaria | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 11 | −10 | 0 | 3 |
| Croatia | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 11 | −6 | 1 | 1 |
| Cyprus | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 0 | 1 |
| Denmark | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 0 | 1 |
| Germany | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 0 | 1 |
| Georgia | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 3 | 0 |
| Greece | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 2 | 0 |
| Hungary | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 1 | 1 |
| Iceland | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0 | 1 |
| Israel | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | −8 | 0 | 2 |
| Luxembourg | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Malta | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 2 | 0 |
| Moldova | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 0 | 1 |
| Montenegro | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0 | 0 |
| Netherlands | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 0 | 2 |
| Northern Ireland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Norway | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | −9 | 0 | 2 |
| Romania | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 9 | −2 | 1 | 2 |
| Scotland | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0 | 1 |
| Serbia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 0 | 1 |
| Slovakia | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | −6 | 0 | 2 |
| Slovenia | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 1 | 1 |
| Sweden | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 11 | −3 | 0 | 3 |
| Switzerland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | −3 | 0 | 1 |
| Turkey | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -10 | −5 | 1 | 2 |
| Ukraine | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
* Q = Qualified
* E = Eliminated
Last Update: 03 August 2023

### UEFA club competition record

| Competition | GP | PP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | P |
| Champions League | 40 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 28 | 37 | 65 | −28 | – |
| Cup Winners' Cup | 10 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 16 | −7 | – |
| UEFA Cup / Europa League | 28 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 16 | 20 | 54 | −34 | – |
| UEFA Europa Conference League | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 11 | −5 | – |
| Intertoto Cup | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Inter-Cities Fairs Cup | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| UEFA Super Cup | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Intercontinental Cup | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Total | 84 | 32 | 18 | 13 | 53 | 72 | 146 | −74 | 67 |
| Overall | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| Home | 41 | 11 | 9 | 21 | 45 | 59 | −14 |
| Away | 43 | 7 | 4 | 32 | 27 | 87 | −60 |
| Total | 84 | 18 | 13 | 53 | 72 | 146 | −74 |

#### Europe and Balkan total

| Overall | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| Home | 50 | 15 | 12 | 23 | 61 | 64 | -3 |
| Away | 52 | 8 | 5 | 39 | 34 | 104 | −70 |
| Total | 102 | 23 | 17 | 62 | 95 | 168 | −73 |

### World and European rankings

| Rank | Team | Points |
| 222 | Sepsi OSK | 5.500 |
| 223 | Levski Sofia | 5.500 |
| 224 | Valmieras FK | 5.500 |
| 225 | KF Tirana | 5.500 |
| 226 | FK Borac Banja Luka | 5.500 |
| 227 | Tre Penne | 5.500 |
| 228 | Hammarby IF | 5.500 |
Last Update: 4 August 2023