The journey of padel in Kosovo began in early 2021, when Besim Shulemaja and Jusuf Kika envisioned introducing this exciting sport to the country. Inspired by padel rapid growth in Sweden and across Europe—especially following the pandemic—Besim, a Kosovo-born resident of Sweden, was determined to contribute something meaningful to his homeland. Together with Jusuf, they took the first steps toward making this vision a reality by establishing the Kosovo Padel Federation.
Despite initial skepticism from the public about the sport’s potential in Kosovo, Besim and Jusuf persisted. With promotion through radio, television, social media, and word of mouth, interest began to build. “People were doubtful,” said Mr. Kika, “but we proved them wrong.”
On August 28, 2021, in the historic city of Prizren, the Kosovo Padel Federation was officially founded.
Since Kosovo had no padel courts at the time, the first tournament was held abroad with the support of the Albanian community in Halmstad, Sweden. The momentum continued with a second tournament in early 2022 in Klippan, Sweden, involving the growing Scandinavian padel diaspora.
A major milestone came on March 31, 2022, when the Federation became the newest member of the Kosovo Olympic Committee. Then, in July 2022, the first padel center in Kosovo opened in Prishtina, through a collaboration between the Federation and private investors — among them, Albanian football legend Lorik Cana.
This center marked a turning point. Multiple tournaments were held in Prishtina and other cities, and Kosovo began making its presence known internationally through participation in various European padel events. On November 22, 2022, the Federation became a proud member of the European Padel Federation.
The year 2023 was a period of rapid development, with numerous tournaments including the National Padel Championship and the Kosovo Padel League. Capacity-building activities were launched, including coaching and referee certification programs, as well as cross-border collaborations with other regional padel federations.
While the process to join the International Padel Federation (FIP) had started earlier, on July 7, 2023, the Kosovo Padel Federation was officially accepted as a member during the FIP General Assembly in Rome. From January 1, 2024, it became a full-rights member of FIP and was also formally recognized and licensed by the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports of Kosovo.
That same year, the Prishtina padel center was relocated and upgraded to meet international standards, making it capable of hosting larger tournaments. For the first time, Kosovo participated in the European Padel Championship Qualifiers in Oslo, Norway — and proudly won its first official international match as a national team.
Other highlights of 2024 included the opening of Kosovo’s first padel school, along with the certification of local coaches and referees, further strengthening the domestic ecosystem of the sport.
As we entered 2025, the Federation celebrated unprecedented growth. After the election assembly, Mr. Besim Shulemaja and Mr. Jusuf Kika were re-elected as President and Secretary General, respectively. The year promises even more development, with three new padel centers scheduled to open in Prishtina, and a projection of 20 to 25 courts across the country — turning Kosovo into a fast-emerging hub for padel in the region.