The 2024/25 European season is quickly approaching, with 236 clubs set to compete in UEFA’s continental club competitions this season.
With the first qualifying round draws occurring on Tuesday, Extratime Talk will be providing a comprehensive coefficient preview. Between now and then, each country will be previewed, and all clubs participating in Europe for the 2024/25 season are discussed.
In these articles, we will provide analyses of what to expect from each country in Europe. We will explore what is on the line from a coefficient standpoint, and the keys to succeeding, in that country’s case.
In the 53rd and penultimate article, we have a look at Albania, and what we can expect from the country in the 2024/25 season.
Albania in Europe: Country Profile
| Previous Season Coefficient (Rank) | 2.125 (36th) |
| Previous Season’s 5-Year Coefficient (Rank) | 7.375 (47th) |
| Starting 5-Year Coefficient (Rank) | 6.625 (45th) |
It was a solid 2023/24 season for Albania. Starting the campaign just above the bottom five of the UEFA five-year coefficient ranking, the pressure was on the country to put further distance between themselves and those below them. They managed to do that successfully, with both KF Tirana and Partizani Tirana being the biggest performers.
Thanks to the 2.125 points earned last term, Albania commences the 2024/25 season well clear of the bottom five and potentially looking upwards. This will be a chance for the Albanian teams to collect some coefficient points so that within the next three years, the country can properly compete for a place in the top 38, or even top 33.
Albania in Europe: Club Profile
| Club | Qualified As | Round of Entry | Total European Seasons | Last Season’s Performance | 5-Year Club Coefficient (2023/24) | 5-Year Country Coefficient Contribution, 2023/24 (%) |
| Egnatia | Domestic Champion | UCL Q1 | 2 | UECL Q1 | 1.475 | 0.250 (3.39%) |
| Partizani Tirana | Domestic Runner-up | UECL Q1 | 26 | UECL Play-off Round | 6.500 | 2.250 (30.51%) |
| Vllaznia | Domestic Third Place | UECL Q1 | 17 | UECL Q1 | 4.000 | 0.625 (4.7%) |
| KF Tirana | Domestic Fifth Place | UECL Q1 | 22 | UECL Q2 | 5.500 | 1.000 (13.56%) |
A change in the Kategoria Superiore format saw a four-team playoff at the conclusion of the regular season. However, that did not stop Egnatia from winning both the regular season and playoffs, becoming league champions for the first time. They won the cup for the second year running, completing a domestic double in the process. They will enter the Champions League first qualifying round, playing just their second European tie after their thrilling 5-5 aggregate score against Ararat-Armenia last summer in the Conference League Q1, losing on penalties.
Partizani Tirana finished second in the regular season, losing to Egnatia in the final. They made the UECL playoff round last summer, after winning their Q2 and Q3 ties. A narrow 2-1 aggregate loss to FC Astana ended their run. That was the second time they made it that far in Europe, having done the same in the UEL in 2016/17. Starting in UECL Q1, they will look for a deep run in the competition this summer.
Vllaznia finished fourth in the playoffs, but third in the regular season. That was still enough for them to qualify for Europe for the fourth year running. They will join Partizani in UECL Q1. In what is their 17th season participating in Europe, they will aim to win multiple European ties for the first time. They will be seeded in UECL Q1, giving them a great chance to progress.
KF Tirana rounds out the Albanian contingent in Europe this summer. They benefited from Skënderbeu’s continued ban from continental football. Having finished fifth in the regular season ahead of Teuta Durrës, they will return to the UECL, starting in Q1. Having made the UEL playoff round four years ago, the club from the capital will want to replicate such success once more.
Albania’s Season Ambition
For Albania, the ambition will be to just simply improve on last year’s coefficient total. The 2.125 points earned was their best over the last five years, and will be something to build off next season. Bettering last year’s score is a rather realistic goal, especially should Egnatia get past UCL Q1.
On top of that, Albania should be striving to have a team in the league phase. Skënderbeu is the only Albanian side to the group stages of a European club competition, doing so twice. This should be an ambitious goal for Albanian football going into the 2024/25 season.
What a Successful Season Would Look Like for Albania
Success for Albania in Europe would be to have at least two teams in UECL Q3, as they managed last summer. The two clubs from the capital – Partizani and KF Tirana – reached UECL Q3 a year ago, and repeating that performance would be a considerable success for Albanian football.
Speaking on their coefficient, the goal should be to at least match the 2.000 points from four years ago. After all, that is the total they will have to defend this season. Thus, they will need to make the most of it. A minimum of 2.000 points should be seen as a good year for Albania in any case, with anything more than 2.500 being a phenomenal year.
What to Expect From Albania in 2024/25
Albania certainly has the potential to grab the 2.000 points previously mentioned. It will be a matter of all four teams playing their part. It is also realistic that all four sides win a European tie this summer, which should not surprise anyone that much.
A conversation with Balkan football expert Richard Wilson, he has belief that the clubs could have a good summer. “All three Conference League sides are seeded in round one, with Partizani carrying their seeded status into round two also, should they qualify,” Wilson explained. “If all three make the most of that status in round one and we see three sides in round two, that would already qualify as a positive season on the European front before the end of July – anything beyond that would be a bonus.”
As for Egnatia, Wilson was not overly convinced that they could win in Q1. “It’s hard to imagine them managing any sort of convincing win in qualifying without strengthening the side,” he said when talking about the possibility of them making a league phase. He also highlighted the fact that Egnatia is “a side built around sharing their goals around,” which helped in them claiming the league title.
All things considered, Albania should be able to finish at least 45th and no worse than that. If the clubs can all progress at least once this summer, this will be a good season for the country, and we could very easily see them cause some noise in Europe this campaign.