International Women's Day/ Top 100 Albanian Women of the Year 2026

2026-03-08 09:28:00, Lifestyle CNA

Dua Lipa remains the most sought-after, most followed and most influential Albanian woman in the world. Dua Lipa ranks first with 88.7 million followers on Instagram, 11.2 million on TikTok and 49 million searches on Google.

The first four places are held by global Albanian singers: Dua Lipa, Bebe Rexha, Rita Ora and Ava Max.

Also in the top 10 are Mother Teresa (#5), Era Istrefi (#6), Mira Murati (#7), Loredana Zefi, Eliza Dushku, and entrepreneur Krissy Cela. A little further down we find Olympic champions Majlinda Kelmendi and Distria Krasniqi, and designer Nensi Dojaka.

March 8th marks International Women's Day. On this occasion, dua.com surveyed over 500 Albanian women from around the world, analyzing Google searches, Instagram and TikTok followers, and international achievements. From these, the 100 most successful Albanian women for 2026 were selected.

Albanian women are present in every field - from Grammy and Nobel awards, to Olympic medals, Cannes festivals and Hollywood roles. Both from the diaspora and from their homeland, they represent Kosovo and Albania on the world stage.

Below we list the 100 most successful Albanian women by category.

Music

Dua Lipa is the first in this category and on the entire list - Grammy Award winner, with over 88 million followers on Instagram. Behind her: Bebe Rexha, Rita Ora and Ava Max, the latter with the hit "Sweet but Psycho" which reached #1 in 22 countries.

Loredana Zefi has built a strong career in Austria, Switzerland and Germany, while Era Istrefi sang the 2018 FIFA World Cup anthem. On the classical side, Ermonela Jaho was described by The Economist as "the most admired soprano in the world", and Inva Mula gave the voice to Diva in the film "The Fifth Element".

Film & TV

Eliza Dushku leads the category - known for her roles in "Buffy" and "Dollhouse", she ranks #9 on the overall list. Masiela Lusha is second, known for her role as Carmen in "George Lopez". Arta Dobroshi has represented Albanian cinema at Cannes and other festivals.

Blerta Basholli won three awards at Sundance with the film "Hive", while Yllka Gashi was nominated for an Oscar. From the Albanian screen, Alketa Vejsiu and Arbana Osmani remain among the most popular presenters.

SPORTS

Kosovare Asllani ranks first in this category - with 205 matches for the Swedish national team, she is the most globally recognized Albanian athlete. Majlinda Kelmendi won Kosovo's first Olympic medal in 2016, Distria Krasniqi took gold in 2020 and silver in 2024, while Nora Gjakova added a gold medal. Lara Colturi, the 18-year-old skier, is quickly climbing the world ranks. Laura Fazliu won the Olympic bronze medal in Paris 2024.

Politics & History

Mother Teresa, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is ranked #5 on the overall list. Vjosa Osmani, President of Kosovo, and former President Atifete Jahjaga paved the way for a new generation of female leaders. From history, Queen Teuta remains a symbol of Illyrian resistance to Rome. Vlora Çitaku and Donika Gërvalla represent the Albanian diplomatic voice in the international arena.

Fashion & Modeling

Nensi Dojaka, winner of the 2021 LVMH Prize, is ranked first in the Fashion & Modeling category. Teuta Matoshi has gone viral with her dresses, while Emina Cunmulaj has modeled for Vogue and Elle and serves as the Honorary Consul of Albania in Florida. Angela Martini represented Albania at Miss Universe 2010, Almeda Abazi has achieved fame as a model and actress in Turkey, and Rina Lipa is building her career as an international model.

Influencer

Melimtx leads this category with 3.1 million followers on TikTok, with her fame especially in German-speaking countries. Brisida has 2.3 million on TikTok, while Luana Vjollca remains one of the most popular figures on Albanian television. Eva Murati, the UEFA Champions League presenter, Ori Nebijaj, Valeria Aliti and Eni Koçi are also on the list.

Business & Academia

Mira Murati, former CTO of OpenAI, ranks #7 on the overall list. Krissy Cela, listed on Forbes 30 Under 30, has built the fitness business EvolveYou with over $34 million in revenue. Lea Ypi, professor at LSE, wrote the book "Free" which was translated into over 30 languages. Laura Mersini-Houghton is known for her theories on the multiverse, while Luljeta Lleshanaku is among the most widely read Albanian writers abroad.

Research Methodology

From 300 million entries and over 500 initial nominations, the 100 Albanian women with the highest public presence from around the world were selected, divided into 15+ categories. The ranking was based on Google searches, Instagram followers and TikTok followers. An "Ambassador" rating was also created based on awards, titles, records and international representations.

Google 40% - # annual searches
Instagram 25% - # followers on Instagram
TikTok 15% - # followers on TikTok
Ambassadors 15% - successes and achievements (awards, titles, records)
Online Presence 5% - Social Media & Google Presence

The Ambassador Rating ensures that historical, scientific and sporting figures without a social media presence are valued according to their achievements. The data was analyzed by the dua.com team in February 2026./ dua.com