Albania unveils winners of “Golden Ball” 2025

President of the Albanian Football Association Armand Duka said in his speech delivered tonight at the Albanian “Golden Ball 2025” Gala Event that Albanian football is experiencing a historic moment of development and consolidation in the national and international arena.

The head of Albania’s football association highlighted the successes of the national team, which, for the first time in history, has qualified for the play-off stage of the 2026 World Cup, CE Report quotes ATA.

He also praised the successful organization of major UEFA events in Albania, including the U-17 European Championship “Albania 2025” and the historic meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee in Tirana.

President Duka also emphasized the concrete support for clubs, with the distribution of 3 million euros from 2026 for the “Abissnet Superiore” championship and the First Division, the significant increase in participation in football and the important investments in infrastructure and technology.

Meanwhile, at the ceremony held at the ‘National Opera and Ballet Theatre’, Bekim Balaj was declared the winner of the “Golden Ball” for 2025, i.e. the best footballer of the year in Albania.

Megi Doçi, the striker of the Albanian national team and Vllaznia, was declared the winner of the prestigious “Golden Ball” award for women 2025.

As reported by CE Report, Albania's Korça was named “European City of Sport 2026”.