2019–20 Kategoria e Parë
# 2019–20 Kategoria e Parë

The 2019–20 Kategoria e Parë was the 72nd official season of the Albanian football second-tier since its establishment. The season began on 14 September 2019 and ended on 29 July 2020. There were 20 teams competing this season, split in 2 groups, each with 10 teams. The 2 winners of each group gained promotion to the 2020-21 Kategoria Superiore, and played the division's final against each other. The runners-up of each group played a play-off match between them. The winners of the play-off played another promotion play-off match against the 8th ranked team of the 2019–20 Kategoria Superiore. Apolonia and Kastrioti were promoted to the 2020–21 Kategoria Superiore. Devolli, Iliria, Shënkolli, Shkumbini and Tërbuni were relegated to the 2020–21 Kategoria e Dytë. Apolonia won their fifth Kategoria e Parë title on 22 July 2020 after beating Kastrioti in the final match. The competition was completely suspended from 12 March to 7 June 2020, due to a pandemic of COVID-19 in Albania.

## Changes from last season

### Team changes

**From Kategoria e Parë**

Promoted to Kategoria Superiore:

* Bylis
* Vllaznia

Relegated to Kategoria e Dytë:

* Tomori
* Vora

**To Kategoria e Parë**

Relegated from Kategoria Superiore:

* Kastrioti

Promoted from Kategoria e Dytë:

* Devolli
* Shkumbini
* Tërbuni

### Stadia by capacity and locations

**Group A**

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| - | - | - | - |
| Besëlidhja | Lezhë | Brian Filipi Stadium | 5,000 |
| Burreli | Burrel | Liri Ballabani Stadium | 2,500 |
| Dinamo Tirana | Tirana | Internacional Complex | 1,000 |
| Egnatia | Rrogozhinë | Egnatia Stadium | 4,000 |
| Erzeni | Shijak | Tofik Jashari Stadium | 4,000 |
| Kastrioti | Krujë | Kastrioti Stadium | 8,400 |
| Korabi | Peshkopi | Korabi Stadium | 6,000 |
| Shkumbini | Peqin | Shkumbini Stadium | 5,000 |
| Tërbuni | Pukë | Ismail Xhemali Stadium | 1,950 |
| Veleçiku | Koplik | Kompleksi Vellezërit Duli | 2,000 |

**Group B**

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| - | - | - | - |
| Apolonia | Fier | Loni Papuçiu Stadium | 6,800 |
| Besa | Kavajë | Besa Stadium | 8,000 |
| Devolli | Bilisht | Bilisht Stadium | 1,050 |
| Elbasani | Elbasan | Elbasan Arena | 12,800 |
| Iliria | Fushë-Krujë | Redi Maloku Stadium | 3,000 |
| Lushnja | Lushnjë | Abdurrahman Roza Haxhiu Stadium | 8,500 |
| Oriku | Orikum | Petro Ruci Stadium | 2,000 |
| Pogradeci | Pogradec | Gjorgji Kyçyku Stadium | 10,700 |
| Shënkolli | Shënkoll | Shënkoll Stadium | 500 |
| Turbina | Cërrik | Nexhip Trungu Stadium | 6,600 |

## First phase

### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Kastrioti | 16 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 19 | 4 | +15 | 37 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 2 | Besëlidhja | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 12 | +7 | 28 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 3 | Korabi | 16 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 16 | 15 | +1 | 25 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 4 | Erzeni | 16 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 18 | 10 | +8 | 25 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 5 | Burreli | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 17 | 16 | +1 | 24 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 6 | Egnatia | 16 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 13 | +1 | 19 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 7 | Tërbuni | 16 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 16 | −5 | 15 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 8 | Veleçiku | 16 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 22 | −11 | 13 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 9 | Dinamo Tirana | 16 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 26 | −17 | 11 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 10 | Shkumbini (R, D) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −3 | Excluded from the league |

* ↑ Shkumbini was excluded from the league and relegated to the Kategoria e Dytë for the next season, after a violent incident during a match against Dinamo Tirana in the 11th round. They were also deducted 3 points.

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Pogradeci | 18 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 30 | 15 | +15 | 39 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 2 | Apolonia | 18 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 36 | 14 | +22 | 37 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 3 | Lushnja | 18 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 30 | 18 | +12 | 35 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 4 | Besa | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 28 | 24 | +4 | 27 | Qualification to the Promotion round |
| 5 | Oriku | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 15 | −3 | 24 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 6 | Devolli | 18 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 29 | 30 | −1 | 24 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 7 | Iliria | 18 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 18 | 23 | −5 | 18 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 8 | Shënkolli | 18 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 17 | 28 | −11 | 17 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 9 | Turbina | 18 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 26 | −12 | 16 | Qualification to the Relegation round |
| 10 | Elbasani | 18 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 14 | 35 | −21 | 13 | 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) | 22 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 29 | 13 | +16 | 47 | Promotion to 2020–21 Kategoria Superiore |
| 2 | Besëlidhja | 22 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 30 | 19 | +11 | 39 | Play-off promotion to 2020–21 Kategoria Superiore |
| 3 | Korabi | 22 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 26 | 22 | +4 | 36 | |
| 4 | Erzeni | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 26 | |

**Group B**

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Apolonia (C, P) | 24 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 55 | 26 | +29 | 51 | Promotion to 2020–21 Kategoria Superiore |
| 2 | Pogradeci | 24 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 39 | 24 | +15 | 46 | Play-off promotion to 2020–21 Kategoria Superiore |
| 3 | Lushnja | 24 | 14 | 2 | 8 | 42 | 29 | +13 | 44 | |
| 4 | Besa | 24 | 9 | 4 | 11 | 42 | 46 | −4 | 31 | |

### Relegation round

**Group A**

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | Egnatia | 24 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 21 | 19 | +2 | 31 | |
| 6 | Burreli | 24 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 23 | 25 | −2 | 31 | |
| 7 | Dinamo Tirana | 24 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 20 | 29 | −9 | 27 | |
| 8 | Veleçiku (O) | 24 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 21 | 30 | −9 | 25 | Play-out relegation to 2020–21 Kategoria e Dytë |
| 9 | Tërbuni (R, D) | 24 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 20 | 33 | −13 | 23 | Excluded from the league |

* ↑ Tërbuni was excluded from the league and relegated to the Kategoria e Dytë for the next season, after a violent incident during a match against Egnatia in the 22nd round.

**Group B**

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | Oriku | 28 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 22 | 25 | −3 | 40 | |
| 6 | Turbina | 28 | 11 | 5 | 12 | 39 | 35 | +4 | 38 | |
| 7 | Elbasani | 28 | 12 | 1 | 15 | 42 | 50 | −8 | 37 | |
| 8 | Devolli (R) | 28 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 39 | 43 | −4 | 34 | Play-out relegation to 2020–21 Kategoria e Dytë |
| 9 | Iliria (R) | 28 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 35 | 44 | −9 | 33 | Relegation to 2020–21 Kategoria e Dytë |
| 10 | Shënkolli (R) | 28 | 3 | 9 | 16 | 31 | 64 | −33 | 18 | Relegation to 2020–21 Kategoria e Dytë |

## Promotion play-off

Besëlidhja qualified to the final play-off match.

## Relegation play-offs

Both teams remained in their respective leagues.

Partizani B were promoted to the Kategoria e Parë, while Devolli were relegated to the Kategoria e Dytë.

## Season statistics

### Scoring

**Top scorers**

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Klodian Nuri | Elbasani | 17 |
| 2 | Mario Gjata | Apolonia | 16 |
| 2 | Mikel Canka | Lushnja | 16 |
| 4 | Artion Alillari | Pogradeci | 12 |
| 4 | Iran da Conceição | Besa | 12 |
| 4 | Xhuliano Skuka | Korabi | 12 |
