With 101 appearances in official matches for the national team, he is the second most-capped Georgian player after Guram Kashia.

Kankava played eight years there under the management of Guram Chomakhidze before moving to Dinamo Tbilisi at the age of 14.

[2] In 2004, Kankava started his football career with Dinamo Tbilisi, where Gia Geguchadze was just appointed as head coach.

In his first year, Kankava won the Georgian Cup, and played in the UEFA Europa League scoring the winning goal against Slavia Prague and contributing to the qualification for the group stages.

After one season at Dinamo, Kankava moved to Alania Vladikavkaz, where he played 12 matches, before signing a contract with Arsenal Kyiv in 2005.

[19] Data available from 2008 Dinamo Tbilisi Dnipro Tobol Slovan Bratislava Individual On 30 March 2014, Kankava saved the life of Dynamo Kyiv captain, Oleh Husyev, after Husyev was briefly knocked unconscious in a collision and swallowed his tongue which blocked his airway.

Kankava reacted immediately by sticking his fingers in Husyev's mouth to dislodge his tongue and clear his airway.