# 2017–18 Kategoria Superiore

The 2017–18 Albanian Superliga was the 79th official season, or 82nd season of top-tier football in Albania (including three unofficial championships during World War II) and the 18th season under the name Kategoria Superiore. The season began on 9 September 2017 and ended on 18 May 2018. Title record-holders KF Tirana did not participate in the top flight for the first time since competition's foundation. Kukësi are the defending champions. Skënderbeu, won the league title on 9 May 2018 with 3 matches to spare.
Since Skënderbeu is banned from UEFA competitions, the runners-up of this season's Superliga earned a place in the first qualifying round of the 2018−19 Champions League, with the third and fourth placed clubs earning a place in the first qualifying round of the 2018−19 Europa League.

## Teams

Two clubs earned promotion from the Kategoria e Parë, Kamza and Lushnja, and joined the Superliga this season. Korabi Peshkopi and Tirana were relegated at the conclusion of last season.

### Locations

| Team | Home city | Stadium | Capacity | 2016–17 season |
| Flamurtari | Vlorë | Flamurtari Stadium | 8,200 | 8th |
| Kamza | Kamëz | Kamëz Stadium | 5,500 | Kategoria e Parë |
| Kukësi | Kukës | Zeqir Ymeri Stadium | 10,000 | Champions |
| Laçi | Laç | Laçi Stadium | 4,300 | 6th |
| Luftëtari | Gjirokastër | Gjirokastra Stadium | 8,400 | 4th |
| Lushnja | Lushnjë | Abdurrahman Roza Haxhiu Stadium | 8,000 | Kategoria e Parë |
| Skënderbeu | Korçë | Skënderbeu Stadium | 8,724 | 3rd |
| Partizani | Tirana | Selman Stërmasi Stadium$^{(1)}$ | 9,600 | 2nd |
| Teuta | Durrës | Niko Dovana Stadium | 12,400 | 5th |
| Vllaznia | Shkodër | Loro Boriçi Stadium | 18,022 | 7th |
* (1) Partizani play their 2017–18 home games at the Selman Stërmasi Stadium in Tirana. The club's former home ground, the Qemal Stafa Stadium, was demolished and their new home ground at the Partizani Complex is currently under construction.

### Stadiums

| Flamurtari | Kamza | Kukësi | Laçi | Luftëtari |
| Flamurtari Stadium | Kamëz Stadium | Zeqir Ymeri Stadium | Laçi Stadium | Gjirokastra Stadium |
| Capacity: 8,200 | Capacity: 5,200 | Capacity: 10,000 | Capacity: 2,300 | Capacity: 8,400 |
| Lushnja | Partizani | Skënderbeu | Teuta | Vllaznia |
| Abdurrahman Roza Haxhiu Stadium | Selman Stërmasi Stadium | Skënderbeu Stadium | Niko Dovana Stadium | Loro Boriçi Stadium |
| Capacity: 8,500 | Capacity: 9,600 | Capacity: 12,343 | Capacity: 12,040 | Capacity: 16,022 |

### Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| Team | President | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| Flamurtari | Sinan Idrizi | Ardian Behari | Franc Veliu | Kappa | — |
| Kamza | Naim Qarri | Julian Ahmataj | Argjend Halili | Uhlsport | Mokador |
| Kukësi | Safet Gjici | Peter Pacult | Ylli Shameti | Macron | Kevin Construction |
| Laçi | Pashk Laska | Gentian Mezani | Taulant Sefgjinaj | Uhlsport | Baste Live |
| Luftëtari | Grigor Tavo | Hasan Lika | Orjand Beqiri | Legea | − |
| Lushnja | Fatos Tushe | Ilir Gjyla | Fatjon Sefa | Legea | − |
| Partizani | Gazment Demi | Klevis Dalipi | Idriz Batha | Joma | — |
| Skënderbeu | Ardian Takaj | Ilir Daja | Orges Shehi | Puma | Ama Cafè |
| Teuta | Edmond Hasanbelliu | Gentian Begeja | Rustem Hoxha | Kappa | Caffè Pascucci |
| Vllaznia | Municipality of Shkodër | Ervis Kraja | Ndriçim Shtubina | Legea | – |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| Luftëtari | Mladen Milinković | End of contract | 30 June 2017 | Pre-season | Daniel Fernández | 10 August 2017 |
| Partizani | Sulejman Starova | Mutual consent | 6 July 2017 | Pre-season | Mark Iuliano | 22 July 2017 |
| Kukësi | Ernest Gjoka | Sacked | 23 July 2017 | Pre-season | Mladen Milinković | 29 July 2017 |
| Laçi | Stavri Nica | Resigned | 26 September 2017 | 7th | Gentian Mezani | 26 September 2017 |
| Luftëtari | Daniel Fernández | Sacked | 15 October 2017 | 7th | Hasan Lika | 18 October 2017 |
| Vllaznia | Armando Cungu | Mutual consent | 19 October 2017 | 8th | Ernest Gjoka | 19 October 2017 |
| Lushnja | Artan Bano | Resigned | 23 October 2017 | 10th | Hysen Dedja | 31 October 2017 |
| Partizani | Mark Iuliano | Mutual consent | 5 November 2017 | | Sulejman Starova | 7 November 2017 |
| Kukësi | Mladen Milinković | Resigned | 23 December 2017 | 4th | Peter Pacult | 3 January 2018 |
| Teuta | Gugash Magani | Resigned | 26 December 2017 | | Stavri Nica | 4 January 2018 |
| Teuta | Stavri Nica | Resigned | 12 February 2018 | 9th | Gentian Begeja | 12 February 2018 |
| Lushnja | Hysen Dedja | Resigned | 14 February 2018 | 10th | Dritan Çuko | 20 February 2018 |
| Partizani | Sulejman Starova | Mutual consent | 5 March 2018 | 5th | Klevis Dalipi | 5 March 2018 |
| Lushnja | Dritan Çuko | End of caretaker spell | 21 March 2018 | 10th | Ilir Gjyla | 21 March 2018 |
| Kamza | Ramadan Ndreu | Sacked | 10 April 2018 | 7th | Julian Ahmataj | 11 April 2018 |
| Flamurtari | Shpëtim Duro | Resigned | 18 April 2018 | 6th | Ardian Behari | 18 April 2018 |
| Vllaznia | Ernest Gjoka | Resigned | 14 May 2018 | 9th | Ervis Kraja | 14 May 2018 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Skënderbeu (C) | 36 | 22 | 6 | 8 | 68 | 41 | +27 | 72 | |
| 2 | Kukësi | 36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 61 | 41 | +20 | 63 | Qualification to the Champions League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Luftëtari | 36 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 47 | 37 | +10 | 59 | Qualification to the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 4 | Laçi | 36 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 45 | 39 | +6 | 56 | Qualification to the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 5 | Partizani | 36 | 15 | 8 | 13 | 41 | 36 | +5 | 53 | Qualification to the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 6 | Flamurtari | 36 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 46 | |
| 7 | Kamza | 36 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 37 | 41 | −4 | 46 | |
| 8 | Teuta | 36 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 55 | 58 | −3 | 46 | |
| 9 | Vllaznia (R) | 36 | 12 | 8 | 16 | 38 | 42 | −4 | 44 | Relegation to 2018–19 Kategoria e Parë |
| 10 | Lushnja (R) | 36 | 2 | 5 | 29 | 29 | 86 | −57 | 11 | Relegation to 2018–19 Kategoria e Parë |
* ↑ In March 2018, Skënderbeu was handed a 10-year ban from UEFA club competitions over match fixing.
* ↑ Skënderbeu qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round by winning the 2017–18 Albanian Cup. However, since they were banned from entering UEFA competitions, the spot awarded to the cup winners was passed down the league.

## Results

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

## Season statistics
### Scoring
#### Top scorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Ali Sowe | Skënderbeu | 21 |
| 2 | Sindrit Guri | Kukësi | 20 |
| 3 | Reginaldo | Laçi | 18 |
| 4 | Kristal Abazaj | Luftëtari | 13 |
| 4 | Sebino Plaku | Kamza | 13 |
| 6 | Elis Bakaj | Kukësi | 12 |
| 7 | Fatjon Sefa | Lushnja | 10 |
| 7 | James Adeniyi | Skënderbeu | 10 |
| 7 | Myrto Uzuni | Laçi | 10 |
| 7 | Xhevahir Sukaj | Vllaznia | 10 |

#### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
| Reginaldo | Laçi | Flamurtari | 4–2 (H) | 10 March 2018 |
| Sindrit Guri | Kukësi | Partizani | 4–0 (H) | 14 April 2018 |
| Ali Sowe | Skënderbeu | Lushnja | 4–2 (A) | 9 May 2018 |

##### Note

$^4$ Player scored 4 goals; (H) – Home; (A) – Away

### Clean sheets

| Rank | Player | Club | Clean sheets |
| 1 | Alban Hoxha | Partizani | 14 |
| 2 | Gentian Selmani | Laçi | 13 |
| 3 | Adis Nurković | Flamurtari | 12 |
| 4 | Shkëlzen Ruçi | Luftëtari | 9 |
| 5 | Orges Shehi | Skënderbeu | 8 |
| 6 | Enea Koliçi | Kukësi | 7 |

### Discipline

* Most yellow cards: 11
** Taulant Sefgjinaj (Laçi)
* Most red cards: 2
** Taulant Sefgjinaj (Laçi)
** Ditmar Bicaj (Vllaznia)