Albania national youth football team

Albania national youth football team
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Kuq e Zinjtë (The Red and Blacks)
Shqiponjat (The Eagles)
AssociationFederata Shqiptare e Futbollit – FSHF
(Albanian Football Association)
ConfederationUEFA
Home stadiumElbasan Arena
Loro Boriçi Stadium
FIFA codeALB
First colours
Second colours
Third colours

Albania has the following national youth football teams:

The Albania national youth football team are the national under-23, under-21, under-20, under-19, under-18, under-17 and under-16 football teams of Albania and are controlled by the Albanian Football Association. The youth teams of Albania participate in tournaments sanctioned by both FIFA and UEFA and also participates in world, regional, and local international tournaments. Youth international campaigns normally begin in August and end in the following July.

The Albania national under-23 football team represents Albania in international football at this age level and is controlled by Albanian Football Association, the governing body for football in Albania. The team competed in the UEFA European Under-23 Championship & Balkan Youth Championship, but after the rule change in 1975s, the event had an age limit of 21.

The Albania national under-21 football team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, which is held every two years.

The Albania national under-20 football team is often cited as a feeder squad to the under-21 squad. Most of the player picked for this team became U-21 internationals. Because there is no under-20 competition at UEFA level, Albania's under-20 side generally only competes when it qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which is held every 2 years. Qualification for this competition is achieved in view of performance at the preceding summer's UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. Albania have never played a game with the U-20 squad and the team was only formed after an invitation to play in 2009 Mediterranean Games in Pescara, Italy. Then they participated also in the 2013 Mediterranean Games in Mersin, Turkey.

The Albania national under-19 football team competes at this age level in the UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship, as well as any other under-19 international football tournaments. Before 2002, the event was classified as a U-18 tournament and at this level Albania competed with the Albania national under-18 football team, which it only plays in the friendly matches, recently against Italy on 19 May 2011, when they last played a match.

The Albania national under-17 football team competes in the FIFA U-17 World Cup and the UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship, as well as any other under-17 international football tournaments. Before 2002, the event was classified as a U-16 tournament and at this level Albania competed with the Albania national under-16 football team, which it only plays in the friendly matches.

The Albania national under-15 football team founded in 2009 competes in Youth Olympic Games.