List of Kosovo Albanians

This is a list of historical and living notable Kosovar Albanians, sorted by occupation and name:

Military personnel

Idriz Seferi - nationalist guerrilla fighter
Azem Galica - nationalist resistance fighter
Isa Boletini - nationalist guerrilla fighter
Asim Vokshi - volunteer in Spanish Civil War
Sulejman Vokshi - military leader and commander of the League of Prizren
Haxhi Zeka - nationalist leader
Bislim Bajgora - nationalist leader
Shote Galica - nationalist guerrilla fighter who was declared as the People's Heroine of Albania
Mic Sokoli - nationalist figure and guerrilla fighter
Shaban Polluzha - military leader
Idriz Gjilani - KLA commander
Zahir Pajaziti - KLA commander
Adem Jashari - KLA commander
Agim Ramadani - KLA commander
Njazi Azemi - KLA commander

Academics

Islam Dobra - historian and writer
Anton Berisha - scholar and folklorist
Flora Brovina - poet, pediatrician and women's rights activist from Drenica, raised in Pristina
Din Mehmeti - poet, from Gjakova
Ali Podrimja - poet, from Gjakova
Adem Zaplluzha - poet, from Prizren

Actors and actresses

Muharrem Qena - actor, director, writer and singer
Faruk Begolli - actor
James Biberi - American actor, who was born in Kosovo
Arta Dobroshi - actress, notable works include Lorna's Silence and Baby
Fortesa Hoti - Swedish actress, best known for her role as Roxana Nilsson, in the Swedish drama series Andra Avenyn, born in Kosovo
Arta Muçaj - actress born in Prizren Kosovo. Known for roles in Home Sweet Home as Hana and Njerez dhe Fate as Didi. Based in Australia.
Enver Petrovci - actor, writer and director

Entertainment and media

Esat Bicurri - singer
Ardian Bujupi - German-Kosovar singer-songwriter, who finished in third place of the 8th season of the German talent show Deutschland Sucht den SuperStar, born in Pristina
Rauf Dhomi - classical music composer and conductor
Rona Nishliu - singer
Tony Dovolani - professional ballroom dancer, instructor and judge based in New York
Gashi - rapper
Adelina Ismajli - singer, actress and model who was crowned Miss Kosovo in 1997
Era Istrefi - singer-songwriter
Akil Mark Koci - composer from Prizren
Memli Krasniqi - rapper, singer-songwriter, politician and spokesperson; minister the Culture, Youth and Sport of the Republic of Kosovo
Albina Kelmendi - singer and runner-up of the fourth season of The Voice of Albania
Zana Krasniqi - model and Miss Universe Kosovo 2008
Zana Nimani - Belgrade-based former singer, parents from Kosovo
Patrick Nuo - Swiss recording artist and actor, the father is an Albanian from Gjakova
Rita Ora - British singer-songwriter and actress, born in Pristina
Dua Lipa - British pop singer, parents are immigrants from Kosovo, fleeing during the war
Ismet Peja - folk singer
Nexhmije Pagarusha - singer, known for song "Baresha"
Shkëlzen Doli - violinist
Leonora Jakupi - singer
Nita Bahtiri - Kosovar singer and pianist
Lindita - Kosovo-Albanian singer-songwriter
Regard - DJ
Gjon's Tears - Swiss singer-songwriter
Ledri Vula - singer
Njomza - singer-songwriter
Dafina Zeqiri - singer-songwriter

Visual arts and design

Rifo Dobra - photographer
Gazmend Freitag - painter
Lirika Matoshi - fashion designer
Teuta Matoshi - fashion designer
Burim Myftiu - American contemporary photographer, born in Prizren
Ramadan Ramadani - painter and artist
Mustafa Presheva - Turkish film editor

Models

Diana Avdiu - Kosovar Albanian model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Kosovo 2012
Marigona Dragusha - model who was crowned Miss Universe Kosovo in 2009; second runner-up in Miss Universe 2009
Donika Emini - Kosovar Albanian model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Kosovo
Zana Krasniqi - Kosovar Albanian fashion model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Universe Kosovo 2008
Mirjeta Shala - Kosovar Albanian model
Zana Berisha - Kosovar Albanian model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Kosovo 2018

Business and entrepreneurship

Florin Krasniqi - American businessman and political activist
Shkëlzen Shala - veganism activist and entrepreneur
Ramiz Tafilaj - American businessman, activist, visionary and publisher

Politics

Albin Kurti - current Prime Minister of Kosovo
Vjosa Osmani - current President of Kosovo
Lulzim Basha - Albanian politician. He is the chairman of the Democratic Party of Albania, the main opposition party, since 2013.
Agim Çeku - minister of security forces for the Republic of Kosovo
Bajram Curri - minister of defence of Albania, member of the Committee for the National Defence of Kosovo, independence activist
Nexhat Daci - member of the Assembly of Kosovo
Nexhip Draga - politician and deputy of the Ottoman and later of the Yugoslav parliament
Jakup Krasniqi - spokesman for the Kosovo Liberation Army ; Former Chairman of the Assembly of Kosovo ; Former Acting President of Kosovo.
Ramush Haradinaj - former Prime Minister of Kosovo
Sinan Hasani - former president of Yugoslavia, novelist, statesman and diplomat
Ali Kelmendi - communist organiser
Hasan Prishtina - former Prime Minister, nationalist, organizer of Albanian movements against Ottomans and other regimes installed in Kosovo, during the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century
Ymer Prizreni - cleric, jurist, politician, scholar and patriot, head leader of the Albanian League of Prizren
Bajram Rexhepi - Prime Minister of Kosovo 2002-2004
Ibrahim Rugova - first president of Kosovo and
Fatmir Sejdiu - first president of the Republic of Kosovo
Hashim Thaçi - former Prime Minister and President of Kosovo
Azem Vllasi - senior politician and lawyer

Sports

Football

Ardit Tahiri - footballer
Allmir Ademi - Albanian-Swiss footballer
Fidan Aliti - footballer
Enis Alushi - footballer
Donis Avdijaj - footballer
Ilir Azemi - footballer
Zymer Bytyqi - footballer
Adnan Januzaj - Belgian footballer, parents are from the Republic of Kosovo, of both Kosovan and Turkish descent
Agon Mehmeti - footballer
Albert Bunjaku - Swiss-Albanian footballer
Almir Murati - Swiss footballer
Arian Beqaj - footballer
Fatos Beqiraj - Montenegrian footballer
Astrit Ajdarević - Swedish footballer, born in Pristina
Beg Ferati - Swiss footballer, born in Pristina
Bernard Berisha - footballer
Besart Berisha - footballer
Valon Berisha - footballer
Mërgim Brahimi - footballer
Bersant Celina - footballer
Debatik Curri - footballer
Ardin Dallku - footballer
Ibrahim Drešević - footballer
Lorik Emini - footballer
Betim Fazliji - footballer
Ardian Gashi - footballer
Besian Idrizaj - Austrian footballer, parents are from Kosovo
Besar Halimi - footballer
Besnik Hasi - football player and manager
Mehmet Hetemaj - footballer
Ylldren Ibrahimaj - footballer
Blendi Idrizi - footballer
Flamur Kastrati - footballer
Kushtrim Lushtaku - footballer
Alban Meha - footballer
Arijanet Muric - footballer
Florent Muslija - footballer
Besar Musolli - footballer
Atdhe Nuhiu - footballer
Leart Paqarada - footballer
Avni Pepa - footballer
Fanol Përdedaj - footballer
Amir Rrahmani - footballer
Elbasan Rashani - footballer
Anel Rashkaj - footballer
Dardan Rexhepi - footballer
Loret Sadiku - footballer
Herolind Shala - footballer
Valmir Sulejmani - footballer
Gjelbrim Taipi - footballer
Samir Ujkani - footballer
Mërgim Vojvoda - footballer
Eroll Zejnullahu - footballer
Arbër Zeneli - footballer
Edon Zhegrova - footballer
Drilon Shala - Finnish footballer, parents are from the Republic of Kosovo
Dren Feka - German footballer, parents are from Kosovo
Emir Bajrami - Swedish footballer, born in Pristina
Erton Fejzullahu - Swedish footballer, born in Mitrovica
Fatmire Bajramaj (Alushi) - German footballer, born in Kosovo
Faton Toski - German footballer, born in Kosovo
Gezim Ljalja - Kosovar Albanian footballer
Granit Xhaka - Swiss footballer, an ethnic Albanian born in Kosovo
Johan Berisha - Swiss footballer
Kosovare Asllani - Swedish footballer, parents migrated from Kosovo to Sweden
Kristian Nushi - footballer
Labinot Haliti - Australian-Albanian footballer, born in Pristina
Labinot Harbuzi - Swedish footballer, parents migrated from Kosovo to Sweden
Liridon Krasniqi - footballer born in Vitina, representing Kosovo and later Malaysia
Lorik Cana - footballer
Mehmet Dragusha - footballer
Mentor Zhubi - Swedish footballer, born in Kosovo
Milaim Rama - Swiss footballer, German Regional Liga Nord, born in Kosovo
Milot Rashica - footballer, born in Vushtrri, Kosovo
Njazi Kuqi - Finnish footballer, born in Kosovo
Rijat Shala - Swiss footballer, born in Prizren, Kosovo
Shefki Kuqi - Finnish footballer, born in the Kosovo
Shpetim Hasani - footballer
Sokol Maliqi - Swiss-Albanian footballer
Valdet Rama - footballer born in Mitrovica
Valon Behrami - Swiss footballer, born in Mitrovica
Xherdan Shaqiri - Swiss footballer, born in Kosovo
Xhevat Prekazi - football player and manager of Kosovar Albanian descent.

Basketball

Edmond Azemi - Kosovo Albanian professional basketball player who plays for Sigal Prishtina in Kosovo Basketball Superleague

Handball

Taip Ramadani - head coach of the Australian national handball team, parents are from Kosovo

Ice Hockey
• Arber Xhekaj - Defenseman for the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens; father is from Kosovo

American football

Lirim Hajrullahu - Kosovar-born Canadian placekicker in both the CFL and NFL, 2017 Grey Cup champion

Boxing, kickboxing and wrestling

Luan Krasniqi - German professional boxer, born in Junik
Robin Krasniqi - German professional boxer, born in Junik
Xhavit Bajrami - Swiss former kickboxer, born in Dumosh
Aziz Salihu - professional boxer, born in Pristina
Naim Terbunja - Swedish amateur boxer, born in Pristina
Rezar - professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist
Elvis Gashi - professional boxer in America, born in Peja
Ilir Latifi - professional UFC fighter for Sweden, his parents come from Kosovo
Elvir Muriqi - American-Albanian boxer, born in Kosovo
Azem Maksutaj - Swiss former kickboxer, born in Kosovo
Donjeta Sadiku - Kosovar female boxer, born in Pristina
Besar Nimani - former professional boxer, IBF European intercontinental champion

Judo

Majlinda Kelmendi - Judoka, 2013 and 2014 World Champion (52 kg), won the 2019 European Games, three European Championships, the 2013 Judo World Masters, seven IJF Grand Slams, 10 IJF Grand Prix, and conquered the gold at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Distria Krasniqi - Judoka, won three IJF World Masters, two IJF Grand Slams, six IJF Grand Prix, one European Championship and a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Nora Gjakova - Judoka, won two IJF Grand Slams, five IJF Grand Prix, one European Championship, a gold medal at the 2018 Mediterranean Games, and conquered the gold at the 2020 Summer Olympics