 | ||||
| Full name | Neftçi Peşəkar Futbol Klubu | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Neftçilər (The Oil Workers)[1] Flaqman (The Flagship)[1] Xalqın komandası (The People's Team)[1] | |||
| Founded | 18 March 1937; 88 years ago (1937-03-18) asNeftyanik[2] | |||
| Ground | Neftçi Arena | |||
| Capacity | 11,000 | |||
| Owner | SOCAR | |||
| President | Cenk Sümer | |||
| Head coach | Samir Abasov | |||
| League | Azerbaijan Premier League | |||
| 2023–24 | Azerbaijan Premier League, 5 th of 10 | |||
| Website | neftchi | |||
 Current season | ||||
Neftçi Peşəkar Futbol Klubu, known simply asNeftçi (pronounced[nefˈtʃi]) orNeftchi Baku, is anAzerbaijani professionalfootball club based in the capitalBaku, that plays in theAzerbaijan Premier League, the highest tier ofAzerbaijan football. The club was founded on 18 March 1937 and played under the name of Neftyanik until 1968. Since then, the club has been competing under the name of Neftçi.
Neftçi played for a total of 27 seasons in theTop Division of Soviet football. The main achievement of that period is the bronze medals of the USSR Championship won in1966. Neftçi has won nineAzerbaijan Premier League titles, sixAzerbaijan Cups and twoAzerbaijan Supercup titles. The club is one of the two teams in Azerbaijan, along withQarabağ, which has participated in allAzerbaijan Premier League championships so far.[3]
In2012, Neftçi became the first Azerbaijani club to advance to the group stage of a European competition after defeatingAPOEL 4–2 on aggregate in the play-off round of the2012–13 UEFA Europa League.[4][5] Neftçi plays its matches at theNeftçi Arena in Baku, which also serves as the venue forAzerbaijan national team matches.
The club was founded on 18 March 1937 and played under the name of Neftyanik until 1968.[6] The first official match of Neftyanik took place on May 24, 1937. In the 1/64 finals of theSoviet Cup, Neftyanik beatFC Dinamo Yerevan (1:0). The goal scored by Pavel Shtyrlin in the 87th minute was the first in the history of Neftçi.[6]
The team, which has played since the USSR championships in thegroup G, took the 11th place among 12 participants.[7] In the same year, in the matches for theUSSR Cup, Neftyanik, although he won in 1/64 and 1/32 finals in the Dinamo teams fromYerevan andBatumi, lost in the 1/16 finals from the fight, losing to theDinamo Tbilisi.[7]
Between 1938 and 1941, Neftyanik also played in local Azerbaijani and Caucasus championships. At the start ofWorld War II, the players had to join the army. Mirmehdi Aghayev, who played for the club before the war, was among those killed in action.[8] As the war drew to an end, the team gradually resumed operations and in 1944, Neftyanik returned to theAzerbaijani championship, becoming champions the following year.[9]
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Neftyanik competed in the2nd Group of the USSR championship in 1946–1948, and was qualified for the first time in its history for the1st Group (Top League) in1949.[8][6] AfterTemp Baku which took part onlyone year in the 1st Group eleven years ago, Neftyanik became the second representative of the Republic in that level in the history of Azerbaijan football.[11] The first Top League match was against theVVS Moscow at the thenLenin Stadium (now Ismat Gayibov Stadium). In this historic match, the team won with a score of 1:0. The first goal in group A of the championship of the USSR was recorded by Viktor Anoshkin.[8][6] They finished the Top Division in 14th place in their debut season. Playing in the Top Division for two consecutive years, Neftyanik left it in1950 and had to play in the Class B again.[12] The team was qualified for the second time in its history for the Top League in1960, and by playing regularly in the Top League during 1960–1965.
The1966 season stands out in the history of Neftçi, as the club achieved its biggest success in the USSR championships by finishing third.[13] By beatingSpartak Moscow 3:0 in the last game of the championship in the currentTofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium on 30 November, the Black and Whites, coached by 31-year-oldAhmad Alaskarov, reached 45 points and finished only two points short of theRostov Army Club who were second.[13]Dynamo Kyiv won the championship with 56 points.[13] Two years later, in 1968, the club began the30th USSR championship as Neftçi rather than Neftyanik.[6]
Neftçi dropped to the Second Division in1972 and spent the 1973–76 seasons there.Elbrus Abbasov played a great role in the team's comeback. By scoring 28 goals, he became theSecond Division's top scorer, helping the Black and Whites finish second and qualify for the top flight again.[14] In1987 season, Neftçi coached byAghasalim Mirjavadov, finished the championship in 9th place,[15] registering its best performance since1971. The team was known for its attacking trio which includedIsgandar Javadov,Mashalla Ahmadov andIgor Ponomaryov.[16]1988 was a disappointing season for the club, as they finished 15th and were relegated to the Second Division.[17]Aghasalim Mirjavadov coached them in the first half of the season andYuriy Kuznetsov in the second, but neither could save the team from relegation.[18]
Neftçi won thefirst Azerbaijani national championship having begun as clear favourites, since many of the players playing for the club at the end of the Soviet period remained.[9] The team was coached byAhmad Alaskarov.[20] Another success came three years later. In 1995, Neftçi, led byVagif Sadygov, defeated all rivals in the fight for theCup of Azerbaijan.[21] 1995–1996 season, Neftçi finished with a "golden double" — won thenational championship and became the owner of the Cup.[22][23] This success was achieved thanks to the efforts of coachesVagif Sadygov, Asif Aliyev andKazbek Tuaev.[24]
In 2006, Neftçi managed to win theCIS Cup after defeatingFBK Kaunas of Lithuania in the final.[25] In European competitions, the club also have advanced to the second qualifying round of theUEFA Champions League twice, having defeated Bosnian champions –NK Široki Brijeg – and Icelandic champions –FH Hafnarfjarðar – in 2004 and 2005 respectively.[26][27] Neftçi advanced to the third round of the2008 Intertoto Cup, after defeating the Slovak clubFC Nitra and the Belgian sideK.F.C. Germinal Beerschot in the first two rounds.[28]
A long period of decline followed the success of the 2005 to the end of the decade. Despite the appointment of famous names such asGurban Gurbanov,Vlastimil Petržela,Anatoliy Demyanenko andHans-Jürgen Gede, the club did not achieve any success and squandered large sums of money on unsuccessful signings.[29]
Prospects changed positively in December 2009 when the club's control was given toSadıq Sadıqov. The takeover was immediately followed by a flurry of bids for high-profile international players such asBahodir Nasimov,Nicolás Canales,Flavinho,Bruno Bertucci,Eric Ramos,Igor Mitreski andJulius Wobay.[30] In May 2011, coached byArif Asadov, the club won its sixth championship title.[31][32] Asadov also become the first person in Azerbaijan to win the league title as a coach and football player.[33] However, Asadov was dismissed after the defeat toDinamo Zagreb in thequalifying round of the Champions League 2011–2012 season.[34]
In the2011–12 season,Boyukagha Hajiyev guided Neftçi to another domestic success as the club become champions for seventh time in their history.[35][36] In November 2011, Neftçi celebrated its 1,000th victory in official matches and its 1,000th goal inAzerbaijan League, scored byAraz Abdullayev.[37]
In 2012, Neftçi qualified for the2012–13 UEFA Europa League group stage, being the first Azerbaijani team to advance to this stage in a European competition. Neftçi managed to get three points in six matches, drawing withPartizan both times and holdingInternazionale away at theSan Siro.[38][39]
A third consecutive Premier League title followed in2012–13.[40] Neftçi then won theAzerbaijan Cup on 28 May 2013 to secure thedomestic double.[41][42] Following Neftçi's early exit from European cups, Boyukagha Hajiyev resigned from his post.[43][44] Following defeat at2013 Azerbaijan Supercup,Nazim Suleymanov was appointed as Neftçi's new manager afterTarlan Ahmadov was sacked just three months in charge.[45] On 8 January 2014, Suleymanov resigned as manager after a transfer fund dispute.[46][47] In May 2014, despite finishing fourth, Neftçi managed to winAzerbaijan Cup.[48] In August 2014, the club reachedEuropa League play-off round after defeatingChikhura Sachkhere on aggregate.[49]
On 2 November 2014, Neftçi club president Sadygov stated that the club was experiencing financial difficulties.[50] In 2015, it was announced that the club would become apublic limited company – Neftchi PLC, while the club's new president would beChingiz Abdullayev.[51]
On 8 June 2018,Roberto Bordin was announced as Neftçi's new manager on a two-year contract.[52] Under the head coach of Roberto Bordin, the team finishedAzerbaijan Premier League in second place[53] and they have advanced two qualifying rounds in theUEFA Europa League.[54] On 18 January 2020, the club officially announced that the contract with Bordin mutually terminated, and he was replaced temporarily by his assistantFizuli Mammadov.[55]
On 11 November 2020,Samir Abasov was appointed manager. The contract between the parties was signed until the end of the 2021/2022 season.[56] In the first season under his coach, the club won theAzerbaijan Premier league after 7 years again.[57][58]
On 11 July 2023,Adrian Mutu was appointed as Neftçi's new Head Coach on a two-year contract.[59]
On June 26, 2024,Roman Hryhorchuk was appointed as club's head coach.[60] On October 7, 2024, his contract with the club was terminated by mutual agreement.[61] Under his leadership, Neftçi played in 9 rounds of theAzerbaijani Premier League, recording 5 draws and 4 losses.[62]
Neftçi's home matches are usually played atTofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku. Built by Germanprisoners of war in 1951 and constructed in the shape of a "C" to honourJoseph Stalin, it was renamed after famousfootball refereeTofiq Bahramov in 1993 after his death.[63] The stadium also serves as the home ground of theAzerbaijan national football team and holds 31,200 spectators, making it the second-largest stadium in the country.[64]
Neftçi's current home venue is the 11,000 capacityNeftçi Arena. It has been the club's home since the2012–13 season.[65]
Neftçi is one of the most supported clubs in Azerbaijan, with supporters organized in many fan clubs around the world, including theUnited States,Turkey,Russia and any other country with a sizeableAzerbaijani community. Neftçi's fans are the first to bring Ultras Culture to Azerbaijan. Various companies were Neftçi's number of participating groups. Among them are "Flaqman", "Ultra Neftçi", "Neftçimania" and Forza Neftçi. Currently, the biggest fan group of the club is "Forza Neftçi".[66] In the 2010s, although Neftçi improved its position, the average attendance fell to record low levels.[67]
The club's most popular celebrity supporters are the likes of actorsBahram Bagirzade,Bashir Safaroglu andLutfali Abdullayev, composersGara Garayev,Fikrat Amirov andNiyazi, judokaIlham Zakiyev and scientistMirali Qashqai.[68][69][70]
Matches between Neftçi andKhazar Lankaran are some of the biggest clashes in Azerbaijan. The relationship between the two clubs has always been known for its great animosity, as the classic opposes two geographic regions – with Neftçi and Khazar Lankaran representing the north and south of Azerbaijan, respectively.[71]
Statistics from the previous decade. For a full history see;List of Neftçi PFK seasons
| Season | League | Rank | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Cup | CL | EL | ECL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 4 | 32 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 38 | 33 | 5 | 49 | Runner-up | — | PO | — |
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 6 | 36 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 41 | 41 | 0 | 49 | Runner-up | — | 1QR | — |
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 7 | 28 | 9 | 2 | 17 | 24 | 45 | −21 | 29 | SF | — | 2QR | — |
| 2017–18 | Premier League | 3 | 28 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 39 | 28 | 11 | 46 | SF | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Premier League | 2 | 28 | 17 | 7 | 4 | 52 | 26 | 26 | 58 | 2R | — | 1QR | — |
| 2019–20 | Premier League | 2 | 20 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 33 | 14 | 19 | 37 | QF | — | 3QR | — |
| 2020–21 | Premier League | 1 | 28 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 47 | 25 | 22 | 59 | QF | — | 2QR | — |
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 2 | 28 | 15 | 5 | 8 | 42 | 31 | 11 | 50 | SF | 2QR | 3QR | PO |
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 3 | 36 | 20 | 8 | 8 | 63 | 38 | 25 | 68 | Runner-up | — | — | 3QR |
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 5 | 36 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 51 | 40 | 11 | 56 | SF | — | — | 3QR |
Rank = Rank in the league; P = Played; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points; Cup =Azerbaijan Cup; CL =UEFA Champions League; EL =UEFA Europa League; ECL =UEFA Europa Conference League.
in = Still in competition; – = Not attended; 1R = 1st round; 2R = 2nd round; 3R = 3rd round; 1QR = 1st qualifying round; 2QR = 2nd qualifying round; 3QR = 3rd qualifying round; PO = Play-off round; GS = Group stage; R16 = Round of sixteen; QF = Quarter-finals; SF = Semi-finals.
In 1937Baku had already gained a reputation as an oil city. Therefore, those working in the field of "black gold" soon formed a football team on 18 March 1937. But they didn't have to think much about the name. They gave own names to the team. The color of "black gold" also formed the basis of the form. At that time, along with oil, cotton, called "white gold", played no less a role in the glory of theAzerbaijani SSR than oil, so it was decided that the color of cotton should be reflected in the form. Since then, Neftçi, has remained faithful to black-white.[72]
1949 means for history of Neftçi not less than the year of its establishment. That year taking part under the name Neftyanik, the club was qualified for the first time in its history for theSoviet Top League. A radical changes were made in the staff of Neftyanik with the aim to provide successes of the team among Football elite. Also the team logotype was made. The emblem was the letter "Н" of theCyrillic Alphabet against the background of an oil rig – the first letter of the word Neftyannik. The logo of Neftçi has been changed four times, in 1977, 1997, 2004 and in 2024.[73]
Neftçi's traditional kit was composed of black shirts, white shorts and socks of the same colour. Although through the years these two have gone from alternating between white and black stripes.[74]
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Primary Shirt Sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 1992–1993 | Adidas | ÇAPHAS |
| 1993–1994 | DIŞ. TİC. A.Ş | |
| 1994–1998 | RIAD | |
| 1998–2003 | none | |
| 2004 | unknown | AZƏRNEFTYANACAQ NEZ |
| 2004 | Stadium | BNEZ |
| 2005–2007 | Lotto | SOCAR |
| 2007–2016 | Adidas | |
| 2016–2017 | asan xidmət | |
| 2017 | Kappa | |
| 2018 | none | |
| 2018–2019 | Nike | |
| 2019–2023 | Turkish Airlines | |
| 2023– | Erreà | SOCAR |
On February 7, 2025, Neftçi signed a five-year sponsorship agreement with "Palms Sports," owned byInternational Holding Company.[75] The club's executive director, Cenk Sümer, stated that the revenue from the agreement accounted for 30% of the club's annual income.[76]
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The club have participated in 21 editions of the club competitions governed byUEFA, the chief authority for football across Europe. These include 7 seasons in theChampions League, 13 seasons in theUEFA Cup and Europa League, two seasons in theUEFA Europa Conference League and one seasons in theCup Winners' Cup andIntertoto Cup.[77] Counting all of the 74 games the side have played in UEFA competitions since their first entry into the Cup Winners' Cup in the1995–96 season, the team's record stands at 25 wins, 19 draws and 34 defeats.
| Tournament | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA Champions League | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 36 | −16 | 031.82 |
| UEFA Cup /UEFA Europa League | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 56 | 62 | −6 | 030.95 |
| UEFA Europa Conference League | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 19 | −5 | 030.00 |
| UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | −3 | 000.00 |
| UEFA Intertoto Cup | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | +0 | 050.00 |
| Total | 82 | 26 | 20 | 36 | 97 | 127 | −30 | 031.71 |
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
For recent transfers, seeTransfers summer 2024.
Neftçi-2 plays in theAzerbaijan Reserve League from 2023.
| Supervisory Board[80] | Management[81] | Coaching[82](senior team) | Coaching[83](other teams) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
Neftçi has had numerous presidents over the course of its history, some of whom have been owners of the club while others have been honorary presidents. In 1988, Neftçi had registered as a professional football club and club since then had nine presidents.[84]
|
The following individuals have all won at least one trophy while coaching Neftçi:[85]
| Name | Period | Trophies | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|
 Ahmad Alaskarov | 1966–1970 1979–1982 1991–1992 1999–2000 | Azerbaijan Premier League,Azerbaijan Cup | [20][86] |
| Sergey Kramarenko | 1993 | Azerbaijan Supercup | [87] |
| Vagif Sadygov | 1993–1995 2009–2010 | 2Azerbaijan Cup, 2Azerbaijan Supercup | [21][88] |
| Kazbek Tuaev | 1983–1984 1991 1996–1997 1998 2001-2004 | 3Azerbaijan Premier Leagues, 2Azerbaijan Cups | [22][89][90][23][91] |
| Aghasalim Mirjavadov | 1987–1988 1989 2004-2006 | Azerbaijan Premier League,CIS Cup | [92][93] |
| Arif Asadov | 2010–2011 2014–2015 | Azerbaijan Premier League | [94] |
| Boyukagha Hajiyev | 2011–2013 2014 | 2Azerbaijan Premier Leagues, 2Azerbaijan Cups | [95][96][97][98] |
| Samir Abasov | 2020–2022 | Azerbaijan Premier League | [99] |
