Fier Fair Football Tournament

The 1911 Fier Fair Football Tournament (Albanian: Turneu Futbollistik i Panairit të Fierit 1911) is the oldest known football competition to take place in Albania, then part of the Ottoman Empire. The tournament, which from 7 to 14 April 1911, had eight teams: Tirana, Elbasani, Kavaja, Berati, Peqini, Vlora, Fieri and Lushnja. Tirana defeated Peqini in the final to win the title, 6-1.
The tournament remains unrecognized by the Albanian Football Association or UEFA, while the Albanian Football Association was formed in 1930. Many people consider this tournament to be the predecessor to the Albanian National Championship, now known as the Kategoria Superiore.
Overview
The tournament did not come to light until historians found contemporary articles from the period in 2012 referencing the competition.
It was held in Rahije, Fier, then in Sanjak of Avlona, Janina Vilayet, in the Ottoman Empire. Zgim e C`qipërisë published an article by its editor, Abdyl Kadri, that described the tournament. It was conducted in a single-elimination format; Tirana won and were awarded six gold coins and a trophy, the latter given to the team captain, Zyber Hallulli, who later become the Mayor of Tirana.
The participating teams were not organised clubs, but area community members coming together, such as the 68-year-old Imam Zyber Hallulli. Organised teams were formed in 1913, two years after the tournament.
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final

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See Also

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