# 2017–18 Kategoria e Parë

The 2017–18 Kategoria e Parë was the 70th official season of the Albanian football second division since its establishment. The season began on 16 September 2017 and ended on 16 May 2018. 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 2018–19 Kategoria Superiore, and played the division's final against each other. Kastrioti and Tirana were promoted to the 2018–19 Kategoria Superiore. Naftëtari, Shkumbini, Tërbuni, Vllaznia B were relegated to the 2018−19 Kategoria e Dytë. Tirana won their first Kategoria e Parë title on 16 May 2018 after beating Kastrioti in the final match.

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

Promoted to Kategoria Superiore:
* KF Lushnja
* FC Kamza
Relegated to Kategoria e Dytë:
* Adriatiku
* KF Elbasani
* Sopoti

#### To Kategoria e Parë

Relegated from Kategoria Superiore:
* KF Tirana
* Korabi
Promoted from Kategoria e Dytë:
* FK Egnatia
* Naftëtari
* Vllaznia B

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

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| Besa | Kavajë | Besa Stadium | 8,000 |
| Besëlidhja | Lezhë | Brian Filipi Stadium | 5,000 |
| Dinamo Tirana | Tirana | Selman Stërmasi Stadium | 9,600 |
| KS Burreli | Burrel | Liri Ballabani Stadium | 2,500 |
| KF Erzeni | Shijak | Tofik Jashari Stadium | 4,000 |
| Egnatia | Rrogozhinë | Egnatia Stadium | 4,000 |
| KF Korabi | Peshkopi | Korabi Stadium | 6,000 |
| Kastrioti | Krujë | Kastrioti Stadium | 8,400 |
| KF Tërbuni | Pukë | Ismail Xhemali Stadium | 1,950 |
| Vllaznia B | Shkodër | Reshit Rusi Stadium | 1,200 |

#### Group B

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| Apolonia | Fier | Loni Papuçiu Stadium | 6,800 |
| Bylis | Ballsh | Adush Muça Stadium | 5,200 |
| KS Iliria | Fushë-Krujë | Redi Maloku Stadium | 3,000 |
| FK Shënkolli | Shënkoll | Kastrioti Stadium | 8,400 |
| KS Pogradeci | Pogradec | Gjorgji Kyçyku Stadium | 10,700 |
| Shkumbini | Peqin | Shkumbini Stadium | 5,000 |
| Naftëtari | Kuçovë | Stadiumi Bashkim Sulejmani | 5,000 |
| KF Tirana | Tirana | Selman Stërmasi Stadium | 9,500 |
| Tomori | Berat | Tomori Stadium | 14,750 |
| Turbina | Cërrik | Nexhip Trungu Stadium | 6,600 |
Source:

## First phase
### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Kastrioti | 18 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 7 | +17 | 44 | Qualification for the Promotion round |
| 2 | Egnatia | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 11 | +7 | 29 | Qualification for the Promotion round |
| 3 | Erzeni | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 22 | 20 | +2 | 26 | Qualification for the Promotion round |
| 4 | Besëlidhja | 18 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 16 | +3 | 24 | Qualification for the Promotion round |
| 5 | Dinamo Tirana | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 12 | −2 | 24 | Qualification for the Promotion round |
| 6 | Korabi | 18 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 20 | −2 | 23 | Qualification for the Relegation round |
| 7 | Besa | 18 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 15 | 21 | −6 | 21 | Qualification for the Relegation round |
| 8 | Tërbuni | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 16 | 23 | −7 | 20 | Qualification for the Relegation round |
| 9 | Burreli | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 18 | −6 | 19 | Qualification for the Relegation round |
| 10 | Vllaznia B | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 16 | −6 | 19 | Qualification for the Relegation round |

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Tirana | 18 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 46 | 6 | +40 | 45 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 2 | Bylis | 18 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 34 | 13 | +21 | 41 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 3 | Apolonia | 18 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 31 | 19 | +12 | 31 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 4 | Pogradeci | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 23 | 24 | −1 | 27 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 5 | Tomori | 18 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 23 | 20 | +3 | 26 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 6 | Iliria | 18 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 19 | 21 | −2 | 25 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 7 | Shënkolli | 18 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 21 | 31 | −10 | 23 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 8 | Turbina | 18 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 19 | 33 | −14 | 15 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 9 | Shkumbini | 18 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 29 | −20 | 15 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 10 | Naftëtari | 18 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 13 | 42 | −29 | 8 | Qualification to the Relegation round |

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

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Kastrioti (P) | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 39 | 13 | +26 | 39 | Promotion to the 2018–19 Kategoria Superiore |
| 2 | Egnatia | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 31 | 22 | +9 | 30 | |
| 3 | Erzeni | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 34 | 30 | +4 | 28 | |
| 4 | Besëlidhja | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 25 | 26 | −1 | 20 | |
| 5 | Dinamo Tirana | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 25 | −11 | 14 | |

#### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Tirana (C, P) | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 66 | 13 | +53 | 42 | Promotion to the 2018–19 Kategoria Superiore |
| 2 | Bylis | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 43 | 24 | +19 | 29 | |
| 3 | Apolonia | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 38 | 30 | +8 | 24 | |
| 4 | Tomori | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 34 | 33 | +1 | 22 | |
| 5 | Pogradeci | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 33 | 39 | −6 | 22 | |

### Relegation round
#### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
| 6 | Korabi | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 28 | 30 | −2 | 23 | |
| 7 | Burreli | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 24 | −4 | 22 | |
| 8 | Besa | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 28 | 34 | −6 | 22 | |
| 9 | Vllaznia B (R) | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 27 | −7 | 21 | Relegation to 2018–19 Kategoria e Dytë |
| 10 | Tërbuni (R) | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 29 | −8 | 19 | Relegation to 2018–19 Kategoria e Dytë |
* ↑ Vllaznia B was automatically relegated to the 2018−19 Albanian Second Division, after the relegation of the main team to the Albanian First Division.

#### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
| 6 | Iliria | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 33 | 35 | −2 | 23 | |
| 7 | Shënkolli | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 36 | 50 | −14 | 22 | |
| 8 | Turbina | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 36 | 49 | −13 | 21 | |
| 9 | Shkumbini (R) | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 39 | −18 | 16 | Play-out relegation to 2018–19 Kategoria e Dytë |
| 10 | Naftëtari (R) | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 23 | 51 | −28 | 16 | Relegation to 2018–19 Kategoria e Dytë |

## Season statistics
### Scoring

    As of 16 May 2018

#### Top scorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Albi Çekiçi | Pogradeci | 17 |
| 2 | Ruben Danaj | Shënkolli | 16 |
| 3 | Bedri Greca | Tirana | 14 |