The number of participants has often changed. From 1999 to 2003 up to 35 teams played in up to four groups. From 2004 to 2014, the categoria e parë was single-track.
The league was expanded from 16 to 20 teams in the 2014/15 season, but divided into two groups. Before that, 18 teams played briefly during the 2007/08 season after 14 teams had been increased.
In the 2020/21 season , 18 teams will play regionally divided into two groups (A and B). In the preliminary round, each team meets twice in 16 games. From 2020 the league will be reduced by two clubs per year until it will only consist of 14 teams by the 2022/23 season.
In the championship round, the top four teams in each group determine the champions, while the other five play against relegation. The two group winners will be promoted to the Superiors category . The two bottom of the table are relegated to the categoria e dytë . The two penultimate play in a relegation game against the runner-up in the category e dytë the third relegated or promoted.
At the end of the season, the two season winners play a decider for the championship title.
