Kosovo Basketball Superleague

The Kosovo Basketball Superleague (Albanian: Superliga e Kosovës në Basketboll) and known as the IP Superliga e Basketbollit due to sponsorship reasons is the top men's professional basketball league in Kosovo. Basketball Superleague was founded in 1991. It is run by the Basketball Federation of Kosovo.

Kosovo Basketball Superleague

Organising body	Basketball Federation of Kosovo
Founded	1991 (1991)
First season	1991–92
Country	Kosovo
Confederation	FIBA Europe (Europe)
Number of teams	8
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Kosovo First League
Domestic cup(s)	Kosovo Cup
Current champions	Prishtina (14th title) (2018–19)
Most championships	Prishtina (14 titles)
TV partners	List of broadcasters
Website	basketbolli.com/en/league/superliga
2018–19 Kosovo Basketball Superleague

Prishtina holds the record for most Superleague titles as it has won the championship 14 times.

Current Teams

KB Bashkimi

KB Peja

KB Lipjani

KB Prishtina

KB Rahoveci

KB Trepça

KB Golden Eagle Ylli

KB Feronikeli

KB Ponte Prizreni

Kosovo Basketball Superleague – Club Locations

Team	City	Venue	Capacity
KB Bashkimi	Prizren	Palestra Sportive Sezai Surroi	3000
KB Ponte Prizreni	Prizren	Palestra Sportive Sezai Surroi	3000
◆KB Lipjani	Lipjan	"Better Life" Arena	800
KB Prishtina	Prishtina	Pallati i Rinisë dhe Sporteve	2500
KB Trepça	Mitrovica	Salla e sporteve Minatori	2800
◆KB Feronikeli	Drenas	Palestra "Hysni Jetullahu" Drenas	1000
KB Ylli	Suhareka	Salla e sporteve "13 Qërshori"	2000
KB Rahoveci	Rahoveci	Palestra "Mizair Isma"	2500

Notes

◆ Promoted from the 2018–19 Kosovo Basketball First League.

Rules

Competition format

It consists of eight to ten teams which compete each year in two separate phases. Each team has to play all the other teams in its division four times, twice at home and twice away. This means that in Kosovo basketball, the league's regular season ends after all teams play 28 matches.

At the end of the league, the four best teams in the standings start a play-off, pitting the first place team in the standings versus the 4th place team in the standings, and so on. There is one playoff rounds, and the winner of the finals round becomes the champion of the Kosovo Basketball Superleague. This is similar to the most basketball leagues in Europe.

Each season, the last qualified team of the regular season relegates to Kosovo Basketball First League and replaced by champion of the First League whilst second from last of Superleague meats the runner up of the First League in e Relegation Playoff.

Foreigners

Each team can play 3 foreign players in every match that is organized by BFK.

Youngsters

Every team must play two U20 players in every game for at least 20 min otherwise the teams are fined 500 €.

Arena standards

Since the establishment of the league, the indoor courts in Kosovo have seen continuous improvements in capacity and facilities, with some municipalities have built and newly built stadiums for basketball clubs in their areas as well as other sports. Today, the facilities of the clubs participating in Kosovo Basketball Superleague and hosting the home matches, must have a minimum capacity of 1,000 people.

History

Despite the political status of Kosovo, basketball competitions have been legally organized since 1999 under the Basketball Federation of Kosovo licensed by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and the Government of Kosovo.[1] However, the KBF has functioned since 1991 and organized amateur basketball leagues.[1]

Today, basketball in Kosovo shares the same popularity with soccer.

Names of the competition

• 1999–2004: Liga e Pare e Kosoves ne Basketboll
• 2004–2005: Liga Profesionale e Basketbollit te Kosoves
• 2005–2007: Raiffeisen Superliga
• 2007–2009: Siguria Superliga
• 2009–2011: Techno Market Superliga
• 2011–2013: BKT Superliga
• 2013–2017: ETC Superliga
• 2017–2020: IP Superliga

Gallery

Commissioners

• 2006–2011: Nuredin Ibishi
• 2013–present: Bajrush Ademi

Other competitions

• Kosovo Cup (basketball)
• Balkan International Basketball League
• FIBA Europe Cup

Winner by season

Season	Winner	Runner–up	Score
1991–92	Prishtina	Vëllaznimi
1992–93	Trepça	Peja
1993–94	Peja	Trepça
1994–95	Peja	Ylli
1995–96	Peja	Vëllaznimi
1996–97	Drita	Prishtina
1997–98	Competition interrupted due to the war in Kosovo
1998–99	Not held due to war in Kosovo
1999–00	Trepça	Peja
2000–01	Trepça	Prishtina
2001–02	Prishtina	Trepça	3-2
2002–03	Prishtina	Mabetex	3-1
2003–04	Dukagjini	Prishtina	3–0
2004–05	Mabetex	Dukagjini	3–2
2005–06	Prishtina	Mabetex	3–1
2006–07	Prishtina	Trepça	4–1
2007–08	Prishtina	Peja	4–2
2008–09	Prishtina	Bashkimi	3–2
2009–10	Prishtina	Trepça	3–1
2010–11	Prishtina	Peja	3–0
2011–12	Trepça	Prishtina	3–2
2012–13	Peja	Prishtina	3–0
2013–14	Prishtina	Peja	3–0
2014–15	Prishtina	Peja	2–1
2015–16	Prishtina	Peja	3–1
2016–17	Prishtina	Bashkimi	3–1
2017–18	Bashkimi	Prishtina	3–1
2018–19	Prishtina	Rahoveci	3–1

Titles by Club

Club	Winners	Runners-up	Years won
Prishtina	13	5	1992, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019
Peja	6	5	1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2004, 2013
Trepça	3	4	2000, 2001, 2012
Bashkimi	1	3	2018
Mabetex	1	2	2005
Drita	1	1	1997
Kastrioti	–	2	–
Rahoveci	–	1	–

Sponsorships and broadcasting rights

Official sponsors

• Spalding
• TEB Bank
• IPKO

Official broadcasters

• Art Sport Artmotion Kosovo
• Klan Kosova TV
• RTV Dukagjini
• RTK, KTV (highlights only)

See also

• Kosovo national basketball team
• Basketball Federation of Kosovo
• Kosovo Cup

References

1. Eurobasket Kosovo Basketball Introduction

External links

• Kosovan basketball on Eurobasket
• FanPage