Sports in Albania

Sports in Albania revolves mostly around team sports, such as football, basketball, volleyball and handball. Other sports includes boxing, weightlifting, tennis, swimming, judo, karate, athletics, table tennis, and chess. Football in particular has seen a rapid transformation, with the Albanian national football team making its debut at the 2016 UEFA European Football Championship. Many Albanian athletes have also achieved significant success and have won European and Mediterranean titles in numerous sports during the years, such as wrestling, football, athletics and weightlifting. Albanian athletes have won a total 43 medals for Albania in 8 different Mediterranean sports, an achievement which makes Albania 7th out of 10 nations from the Balkans.


Football
Further information: Football in Albania

Football is the most popular sport in Albania. It arrived in Albania at the beginning of the 20th century. Football is played by children at school and by grown-ups on the plenty of both indoor and outdoor fields located throughout the country. The Sport is governed by the Football Association of Albania (Federata Shqiptare e Futbollit).

The first recorded match was between students at a Christian mission in Shkodër. Other towns and cities followed suit and on 6 June 1930 the Football Association of Albania was established. The association became a member of football's governing body FIFA in 1932, and joined the European governing body UEFA in 1954 as a founding member. After the collapse of the communism in Albania, there were crucial political and economic changes that had a tremendous effect on the nation, as the centralized economy and political system came to an end. The result for the country's footballers was an opportunity to play their trade on foreign fields. Neighbouring Greece, Italy and the Balkan countries were popular destinations for players who were good enough to go abroad.

Albania was the winner of the 1946 Balkan Cup and the 2000 Malta International Tournament. At the UEFA Euro 2016 in France, Albania made its debut at a major men's football tournament. Albania scored their first ever goal in a major tournament and secured first ever win in European Championship, when they beat Romania on June 19, 2016. Albania's highest FIFA World Rankings was 22nd in August 2015.

The women's national team was formed in 2011. Their highest FIFA World Ranking was 40th in April 2015. The FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 was the first time Albania entered a senior competitive tournament. Albania secured a top-two finish on the final day of 2015 FIFA World Cup preliminary round mini-tournament to earn a slot in the qualifying group stage.

Athletics

Athletics has been another very successful individual sport in Albania.

Medalists at European Championships
Medal Name Year Event
 SilverLuiza Gega Amsterdam 2016Women's 3000 metres steeplechase

Medalists at European indoor Championships
Medal Name Year Event
 GoldIzmir Smajlaj Belgrade 2017Men's long jump

Weightlifting

Weightlifting is one of the most successful individual sport for the Albanians, with the national team winning medals at the European Weightlifting Championships and the rest international competitions. Albanian weightlifters have won a total of 16 medals at the European Championships with 1 of them being gold, 7 silver and 8 bronze. In the World Weightlifting Championships, the Albanian weightlifting team has won in 1972 a gold, in 2002 a silver and in 2011 bronze medal. At the Mediterranean Games, the nation have won 5 gold, 9 silver and 10 bronze medals.

Medalists at European Championships
Medal Name Year Event
 BronzeAgron Haxhihyseni Reims 1987Men's 52 kg
 BronzeLuan Shabani Athens 1989Men's 56 kg
 BronzeArtur Duraj Aalborg 1990Men's 60 kg
 BronzeIlirian Suli Sofia 2000Men's 77 kg
 SilverFetie Kasaj Władysławowo 2006Women's 58 kg
 SilverRomela Begaj Lignano Sabbiadoro 2008Women's 58 kg
 SilverErkand Qerimaj Bucharest 2009Men's 77 kg
 BronzeRomela Begaj Bucharest 2009Women's 58 kg
 SilverRomela Begaj Minsk 2010Women's 58 kg
 BronzeErkand Qerimaj Minsk 2010Men's 77 kg
 BronzeDaniel Godelli Kazan 2011Men's 69 kg
 SilverRomela Begaj Antalya 2012Women's 58 kg
 SilverDaniel Godelli Tirana 2013Men's 69 kg
 BronzeRomela Begaj Tirana 2013Women's 58 kg
 GoldErkand Qerimaj Tel Aviv 2014Men's 77 kg
 SilverDaniel Godelli Tel Aviv 2014Men's 77 kg
 BronzeErkand Qerimaj Split 2017Men's 77 kg

Medalists at World Championships
Medal Name Year Event
 BronzeRomela Begaj Anaheim 2017Women's 69 kg

National sports teams

Football:

Basketball:

Volleyball:

Tennis:

Sporting venues
  • List of football stadiums in Albania
  • Category:Sports venues in Albania

National leagues

Sports events
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