The 2026–2027 Abissnet Superiore season will start on August 22 with a completely new format.

The Albanian Football Federation (FSHF) decided to change the competition system after consulting with top-flight clubs. The new structure replaces the Final 4 format, which had been used for the previous three seasons.

The championship will now follow a three-phase system. After 27 regular rounds, teams will have their points reduced by half and will enter two separate stages.

In the Play-Off phase, the top six teams will compete in home-and-away matches for 10 additional rounds.

Meanwhile, the Play-Out phase will include the bottom four teams, from seventh to tenth place. These clubs will play nine more rounds using a home-away-home system.

The team finishing last in the Play-Out stage will automatically be relegated to the First Category. The ninth-placed team will play a relegation play-off match against the losing finalist of the First Category Play-Off.

FSHF considers the reform one of the most important changes in recent years, aiming to increase competition, strengthen rivalry and attract greater interest in Albanian football.

Under the new rules, the league winner after the Play-Off stage will qualify directly for the Champions League. The Albanian Cup winner will secure a place in the Conference League, while the second-placed team will also earn European qualification.

The new format will also create additional opportunities for European qualification through play-off matches. Teams finishing fourth, fifth and sixth will have the chance to compete for a Conference League spot.

Football experts believe the reform will keep more teams competitive until the final rounds. They say clubs will have stronger motivation because European qualification will remain possible for more teams.

The 2026–2027 season will serve as a transition year before the new system becomes fully established.

FSHF hopes the changes will bring more excitement, stronger competition and higher attendance in stadiums. The final test, however, will come on the pitch.

/a.c/