# 2015–16 Kategoria Superiore

The 2015–16 Kategoria Superiore was the 77th season of the top Albanian professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1930. It was organised by the Albanian Football Association and it was the 13th season under the name Kategoria Superiore, which took over from the Albanian National Championship in 2003. The season began on 21 August 2015 and concluded on 18 May 2016.
Skënderbeu began the season as defending champions of the 2014–15 season. Bylis and Tërbuni entered as the two promoted teams from the 2014–15 Albanian First Division, but they were both relegated at the end of the season.
Hamdi Salihi of Skënderbeu won the scoring title with 27 goals in 30 games. Alban Hoxha of Partizani led the league with 19 clean sheets in 32 games. Gugash Magani of Flamurtari and then Teuta won the Manager of the Season award.
Bylis, the 2014–15 Kategoria e Parë champion, returns to the top level after just one year of absence.
| Team | Home city | Stadium | Capacity | 2014–15 season |
| Bylis | Ballsh | Adush Muça Stadium | 5,200 | Kategoria e Parë |
| Flamurtari | Vlorë | Flamurtari Stadium | 8,200 | 6th |
| Kukësi | Kukës | Zeqir Ymeri Stadium | 5,000 | 2nd |
| Laçi | Laç | Laçi Stadium | 2,300 | 5th |
| Partizani | Tirana | Qemal Stafa Stadium | 12,800 | 3rd |
| Skënderbeu | Korçë | Skënderbeu Stadium | 5,724 | Champions |
| Teuta | Durrës | Niko Dovana Stadium | 12,040 | 8th |
| Tirana | Tirana | Selman Stërmasi Stadium | 9,600 | 4th |
| Tërbuni | Pukë | Ismail Xhemali Stadium | 1,950 | Kategoria e Parë |
| Vllaznia | Shkodër | Reshit Rusi Stadium$^{(2)}$ | 1,200 | 7th |

## Stadiums

| Bylis | Flamurtari | Kukësi | Laçi | Partizani |
| Adush Muça Stadium | Flamurtari Stadium | Zeqir Ymeri Stadium | Laçi Stadium | Qemal Stafa Stadium |
| Capacity: 5,200 | Capacity: 8,200 | Capacity: 5,000 | Capacity: 2,300 | Capacity: 19,700 |
| Skënderbeu | Teuta | Tirana | Tërbuni | Vllaznia |
| Skënderbeu Stadium | Niko Dovana Stadium | Selman Stërmasi Stadium | Ismail Xhemali Stadium | Reshit Rusi Stadium |
| Capacity: 5,724 | Capacity: 12,040 | Capacity: 9,600 | Capacity: 1,950 | Capacity: 1,200 |

## 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 |
| Bylis | Agron Kapllanaj | Adnan Zildžović | Maringlen Shoshi | Nike | — |
| Flamurtari | Sinan Idrizi | Zekirija Ramadani | Bruno Telushi | Nike | TRK/Atlasjet |
| Kukësi | Safet Gjici | Klodian Duro | Rrahman Hallaçi | Nike | Kevin Construction |
| Laçi | Pashk Laska | Ramadan Ndreu | Stipe Buljan | Nike | Top Sport |
| Partizani | Gazment Demi | Andrea Agostinelli | Alban Hoxha | Nike | — |
| Skënderbeu | Ardian Takaj | Mirel Josa | Bledi Shkëmbi | Nike | Ama Cafè |
| Teuta | Edmond Hasanbelliu | Gugash Magani | Bledjan Rizvani | Nike | Caffè Pascucci |
| Tirana | Refik Halili | Ilir Daja | Ervin Bulku | Nike | – |
| Tërbuni | Grand Frroku | Viktor Gjoni | Abaz Karakaçi | Nike | AML Leonard |
| Vllaznia | Bashkia Shkodër | Armando Cungu | Ndriçim Shtubina | Nike | – |

## Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| Partizani | Shpëtim Duro | End of contract | 29 May 2015 | Pre-season | Sulejman Starova | 30 May 2015 |
| Tirana | Ndubuisi Egbo | End of tenure as a caretaker | 30 May 2015 | Pre-season | Shkëlqim Muça | 30 May 2015 |
| Teuta | Gentian Begeja | End of contract | 31 May 2015 | Pre-season | Gugash Magani | 1 June 2015 |
| Bylis | Roland Nenaj | End of contract | 31 May 2015 | Pre-season | Agim Canaj | 28 July 2015 |
| Flamurtari | Ernestino Ramella | Mutual consent | 31 May 2015 | Pre-season | Stanislav Levý | 6 July 2015 |
| Kukësi | Miodrag Radanović | Mutual consent | 14 June 2015 | Pre-season | Marcello Troisi | 15 June 2015 |
| Tërbuni | Elvis Plori | End of contract | 14 June 2015 | Pre-season | Samuel Nikaj | 11 July 2015 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Skënderbeu (C) | 36 | 25 | 4 | 7 | 73 | 27 | +46 | 79 | |
| 2 | Partizani | 36 | 21 | 11 | 4 | 51 | 21 | +30 | 74 | Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round |
| 3 | Kukësi | 36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 41 | 25 | +16 | 63 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 4 | Teuta | 36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 43 | 28 | +15 | 63 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 5 | Tirana | 36 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 37 | 25 | +12 | 53 | |
| 6 | Vllaznia | 36 | 11 | 6 | 19 | 36 | 42 | −6 | 39 | |
| 7 | Laçi | 36 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 30 | 48 | −18 | 36 | |
| 8 | Flamurtari | 36 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 34 | 44 | −10 | 35 | |
| 9 | Bylis (R) | 36 | 8 | 8 | 20 | 27 | 53 | −26 | 32 | Relegation to the 2016–17 Kategoria e Parë |
| 10 | Tërbuni (R) | 36 | 4 | 6 | 26 | 22 | 81 | −59 | 18 | Relegation to the 2016–17 Kategoria e Parë |
* ↑ Skënderbeu would have qualified for the Champions League second qualifying round, but were excluded from participating in the 2016–17 European competitions by UEFA for match-fixing.
* 1 2 Kukësi ahead of Teuta on head-to-head record; Kukësi–Teuta 3–0, Teuta–Kukësi 1–0, Kukësi–Teuta 2–2, Teuta–Kukësi 0–0.
* ↑ Kukësi qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round by winning the 2015–16 Albanian Cup.
* ↑ Flamurtari were deducted three points.

## Results

Each team plays every opponent four times, twice at home and twice away, for a total of 36 games.

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

    As of matches played on 21 May 2016.
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Hamdi Salihi | Skënderbeu | 27 |
| 2 | Xhevahir Sukaj | Partizani | 21 |
| 3 | James Adeniyi | Laçi/Skënderbeu | 15 |
| 4 | Elis Bakaj | Tirana | 14 |
| 5 | Peter Olayinka | Skënderbeu | 10 |
| 5 | Izair Emini | Kukësi | 10 |
| 7 | Artur Magani | Teuta | 9 |
| 7 | Mateus Lima | Kukësi | 7 |
| 7 | Emiljano Musta | Teuta | 7 |
| 7 | Ardit Hoxhaj | Bylis | 7 |
| 10 | Eraldo Çinari | Vllaznia | 6 |
| 10 | Erick Flores | Kukësi | 6 |
| 10 | Valdan Nimani | Laçi | 6 |
| 10 | Stevan Račić | Partizani | 6 |
| 10 | Ndriçim Shtubina | Vllaznia | 6 |
| 10 | Bruno Telushi | Flamurtari | 6 |

#### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
| Hamdi Salihi | Skënderbeu | Flamurtari | 5–2 | 20 March 2016 |
| Elis Bakaj | Tirana | Tërbuni | 3–0 | 3 April 2016 |
| Xhevahir Sukaj | Partizani | Tërbuni | 4–0 | 30 April 2016 |

#### Clean sheets

    As of matches played on 21 May 2016.
| Rank | Player | Club | Clean sheets |
| 1 | Alban Hoxha | Partizani Tirana | 19 |
| 2 | Edvan Bakaj | Tirana | 17 |
| 3 | Orges Shehi | Skënderbeu Korçë | 16 |
| 4 | Shpëtim Moçka | Teuta Durrës | 15 |
| 5 | Ervis Koçi | Kukësi | 10 |
| 5 | Andrija Dragojević | Vllaznia Shkodër | 10 |
| 7 | Stivi Frashëri | Tirana/Bylis Ballsh | 9 |
| 8 | Argjent Halili | Flamurtari Vlorë | 8 |
| 9 | Enea Koliqi | Kukësi | 7 |

### Discipline

    As of 21 May 2016

#### Player

* Most yellow cards: 12
** Orgest Gava (Bylis)
** Kristi Vangjeli (Skënderbeu)
* Most red cards: 3
** Bruno Telushi (Flamurtari)

#### Club

* Most yellow cards: 97
** Bylis
* Most red cards: 6
** Flamurtari

## Attendances

| Club | Lowest attendance | Highest attendance | Average attendance |
| Partizani | 1,000 | 10,031 | 3,009 |
| KF Tirana | 2,000 | 11,734 | 2,993 |
| Skënderbeu | 500 | 4,200 | 2,731 |
| FK Kukësi | 531 | 5,110 | 1,957 |
| Flamurtari | 70 | 3,000 | 1,215 |
| Teuta | 150 | 1,700 | 940 |
| Vllaznia | 2,500 | 8,000 | 5,550 |
| KF Laçi | 300 | 1,800 | 828 |
| Bylis | 300 | 1,800 | 828 |
| Tërbuni | 300 | 1,800 | 828 |