SHORT HISTORY OF FOOTBALL IN KOSOVA
P E R I O D I
The first ball in Kosova was brought by a student from Grenoble in 1919 but it is said that in 1914 football was played by Austro-Hungarians who served in Kosova at that time. Football in Kosova was played very early but the first football clubs were formed in 1922 in Gjakova and FC Prishtina in Prishtina and later on there were formed other clubs. Competitions were not regular because of unstable situation prevailing at that time.
P E R I O D II
This period begins after the Second World War from 1945 until 1991. At this time the football in Yugoslavia makes a rapid progress and together with it also the Kosovar Football when the Football Federation of Kosova was formed in 1946 as a branch of Yugoslav Football Federation. In the first Yugoslav league, FC Prishtina was distinguished the most and for one year, FC Trepça was a member of that first Yugoslav league. The second state league continuously used to have 3 to 4 Kosovar football clubs. Within these two Federal leagues, there were competing Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Vojvodina, Kosova and Macedonia, all of them in a unique league.
Kosova used to have its own first league, the first one from which directly played in the second Yugoslav league. It used to have also its own second and third league.
Kosova at that time had its own representatives, federal referees and many employees of the highest level.
P E R I O D III
In the time of Yugoslav disintegration, exactly in 1991, the Kosovar football was in its zenith and continuously used to have 4 to 5 clubs in the first two Federal leagues. However, deterioration of the political situation reflected also in the sports. It was almost impossible to play football notably in Kosova. Because of that in August 1991 the best Kosovar football club Prishtina with a bright tradition in the first Yugoslav League abandons the Yugoslav professional league because there were no more guarantees for the security of players and other officials and neither for the Kosovar funs.
Reaction of the Milosevic’s regime was unprecedented in the history of sports. He withdrew all clubs of all sports and definitely removed from their fields all sportsmen in Kosova as he did with workers leaving them in streets. All levels of football leagues in Kosova disappeared in one day by the criminal hand of Serbian regime.
In 1991 after this unprecedented act of the Serbian - Yugoslav regime, good willing football funs in Kosova showed clearly that they could not be living without football and in absurd conditions for the 20th Century. They formed the Football Federation of Kosova, independent from the then Yugoslavia with all its organs: President, Board of 12 Members from respective regions of Kosova, Commissions, Associations, etc.
The first game was played in the Flamurtari stadium in Prishtina on 13 September 1991, which marked the start of the first independent championship in Kosova. The first league counted 20 teams while other leagues depending on regions but playing on only improvised fields, in very difficult conditions.
Throughout the football stadiums in Kosova, then there used to play only 8% of the total population, Serbs. Tortures, beatings were present in any lap but football in Kosova survived and was played until January 1998 when the Serbian military campaign began against the civil population of Kosova. Also during this period (1991-1998) in Kosova, football was played according to UEFA and FIFA rules and any amendment of their rules immediately applied in the system of our competitions.
PERIOD IV
Stage IV of football in Kosova began immediately after the end of war in Kosova in 1999 when the Football Federation of Kosova was reorganised. Its Assembly was constituted, its Statute was passed, clubs were confirmed, Commissions, associations were appointed etc.
The First League counted 18 teams, Second League in two groups with 14 teams each.
From 1991 to date, it was played continuously under the UEFA and FIFA rules.
Presently, in the new 2007/2008 season, Kosova has its Super League with 16 teams, First League with 14 teams, Second League – in two groups with 12 teams each League, Juniors League and all ages who compete according to UEFA system.
