Football in Kosovo

Football in Kosovo is governed by the Football Federation of Kosovo, which was created in 1946, as a branch of the Yugoslav Football Association. FK Priština, now better known in its Albanian language form FC Prishtina, is the club from Kosovo with most participations in the Yugoslav First League.

The Kosovar Superliga is the top division of football in Kosovo. The division was set up in 1945 as regional league within the Yugoslav football league system.

In 2008 Kosovo declared it's independence from Serbia. Until 2016, membership in UEFA and FIFA had been denied due to Kosovo's disputed recognition as an independent state. However, Kosovo was also not a member of the NF Board, which represents non-FIFA territories, including unrepresented cultural groups and unrecognized states. Some football clubs, especially from North Kosovo, refuse to enter the Republic of Kosovo's institutions and continue to be part of the Football Association of Serbia. On the 3rd of May 2016, Kosovo became the 55th member of UEFA after a 28-24 vote in their favour, and on the 13th of May 2016, Kosovo gained FIFA membership after a 141-23 vote in their favour.

The first football clubs in Kosovo were formed after the First World War and they competed in the Belgrade Football Subassociation provincial leagues within the Yugoslav football league system.

During the Second World War, Yugoslavia was invaded by Axis powers, and most of Kosovo became part of fascist Italian-dominated Kingdom of Albania. Several city teams from Kosovo played during the war in the Albanian championship. Two Kosovar Albanian players made headlines in Italian Serie A, Riza Lushta and Naim Krieziu.

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Wikipedia