# 2018–19 Kategoria e Parë

The 2018–19 Kategoria e Parë was the 71st official season of the Albanian football second division since its establishment. The season began on 9 September 2018 and ended on 25 May 2019. There were 20 teams competing this season, split in 2 groups, each with 10 teams. The top 5 teams from each group qualified to the promotion round, while the last teams qualified to the relegation round. The 2 winners of the qualification round gained promotion to the 2019–20 Kategoria Superiore, and played the division's final against each other. Bylis and Vllaznia were promoted to the 2019–20 Kategoria Superiore. Tomori and Vora were relegated to the 2019−20 Kategoria e Dytë. Bylis won their fourth Kategoria e Parë title on 23 May 2019 after beating Vllaznia in the final match.

## Changes from last season
### Team changes
#### From Kategoria e Parë

Promoted to Kategoria Superiore:
* Kastrioti
* Tirana
Relegated to Kategoria e Dytë:
* Naftëtari
* Shkumbini
* Tërbuni
* Vllaznia B

#### To Kategoria e Parë

Relegated from Kategoria Superiore:
* Lushnja
* Vllaznia
Promoted from Kategoria e Dytë:
* Elbasani
* Oriku
* Veleçiku
* Vora

### Stadia by capacity and locations
#### Group A

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| Besëlidhja | Lezhë | Brian Filipi Stadium | 5,000 |
| Dinamo Tirana | Tirana | Internacional Complex | 1,000 |
| Burreli | Burrel | Liri Ballabani Stadium | 2,500 |
| Erzeni | Shijak | Tofik Jashari Stadium | 4,000 |
| Iliria | Fushë-Krujë | Redi Maloku Stadium | 3,000 |
| Korabi | Peshkopi | Korabi Stadium | 6,000 |
| Shënkolli | Shënkoll | Shënkoll Stadium | |
| Veleçiku | Koplik | Kompleksi Vellezërit Duli | 2,000 |
| Vllaznia | Shkodër | Loro Boriçi Stadium | 16,000 |
| Vora | Vorë | Fusha Sportive Vorë | 1,000 |

#### Group B

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| Apolonia | Fier | Loni Papuçiu Stadium | 6,800 |
| Besa | Kavajë | Besa Stadium | 8,000 |
| Bylis | Ballsh | Adush Muça Stadium | 5,200 |
| Egnatia | Rrogozhinë | Egnatia Stadium | 4,000 |
| Elbasani | Elbasan | Elbasan Arena | 12,800 |
| Lushnja | Lushnjë | Abdurrahman Roza Haxhiu Stadium | 8,500 |
| Oriku | Orikum | Petro Ruci Stadium | 2,000 |
| Pogradeci | Pogradec | Gjorgji Kyçyku Stadium | 10,700 |
| Tomori | Berat | Tomori Stadium | 14,750 |
| Turbina | Cërrik | Nexhip Trungu Stadium | 6,600 |

## First phase
### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Vllaznia | 18 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 32 | 8 | +24 | 44 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 2 | Erzeni | 18 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 24 | 15 | +9 | 32 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 3 | Besëlidhja | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 22 | 16 | +6 | 30 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 4 | Dinamo Tirana | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 15 | 11 | +4 | 27 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 5 | Korabi | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 18 | 19 | −1 | 27 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 6 | Veleçiku | 18 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 18 | 23 | −5 | 25 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 7 | Burreli | 18 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 18 | 23 | −5 | 24 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 8 | Shënkolli | 18 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 14 | 23 | −9 | 20 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 9 | Iliria | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 17 | 19 | −2 | 19 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 10 | Vora | 18 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 11 | 32 | −21 | 10 | Qualification to the Relegation round |

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Bylis | 18 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 30 | 7 | +23 | 42 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 2 | Besa | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 11 | +11 | 35 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 3 | Egnatia | 18 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 23 | 21 | +2 | 31 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 4 | Lushnja | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 19 | 14 | +5 | 27 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 5 | Oriku | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 14 | +3 | 27 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 6 | Pogradeci | 18 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 24 | 19 | +5 | 26 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 7 | Apolonia | 18 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 11 | +2 | 23 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 8 | Tomori | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 25 | −8 | 17 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 9 | Elbasani | 18 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 14 | 32 | −18 | 12 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 10 | Turbina | 18 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 11 | 36 | −25 | 8 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
* ↑ Tomori were deducted three points after failing to show up in a match against Bylis.

## Second phase
### Promotion round
#### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Vllaznia (P) | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 44 | 11 | +33 | 41 | Promotion to 2019–20 Kategoria Superiore |
| 2 | Dinamo Tirana | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 26 | 17 | +9 | 28 | |
| 3 | Besëlidhja | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 31 | 25 | +6 | 28 | |
| 4 | Korabi | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 23 | 28 | −5 | 19 | |
| 5 | Erzeni | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 27 | 28 | −1 | 19 | |

#### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Bylis (C, P) | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 10 | +42 | 45 | Promotion to 2019–20 Kategoria Superiore |
| 2 | Besa | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 34 | 25 | +9 | 31 | |
| 3 | Oriku | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 29 | 27 | +2 | 25 | |
| 4 | Lushnja | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 27 | 28 | −1 | 21 | |
| 5 | Egnatia | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 34 | 42 | −8 | 17 | |

### Relegation round
#### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
| 6 | Burreli | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 25 | 29 | −4 | 25 | |
| 7 | Iliria | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 29 | −2 | 24 | |
| 8 | Shënkolli | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 29 | 36 | −7 | 23 | |
| 9 | Veleçiku (O) | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 26 | 32 | −6 | 23 | Play-out relegation to 2019–20 Kategoria e Dytë |
| 10 | Vora (R) | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 44 | −23 | 12 | Relegation to 2019–20 Kategoria e Dytë |

#### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
| 6 | Pogradeci | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 29 | +7 | 28 | |
| 7 | Apolonia | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 26 | 18 | +8 | 25 | |
| 8 | Turbina | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 43 | −18 | 19 | |
| 9 | Elbasani (O) | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 23 | 44 | −21 | 19 | Play-out relegation to 2019–20 Kategoria e Dytë |
| 10 | Tomori (R) | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 22 | 42 | −20 | 11 | Relegation to 2019–20 Kategoria e Dytë |

## Extra play−off match

An extra play−off match was played between the losers of the regular play−offs to replace the vacant spot left by Kamza, who was relegated from the Kategoria Superiore to the Kategoria e Dytë by federation decision.