Sarajevo derby

Sarajevo fans at theGrbavica Stadium, 9 May 2009
Other names	Eternal derby
Location	Sarajevo,Bosnia and Herzegovina
Teams	Željezničar Sarajevo
First meeting	12 August 1954
Latest meeting	27 September 2025
Statistics
Meetings total	Total: 156 Official: 136 (League competition)
All-time series	Total: Željezničar (48) Sarajevo (46) Drawn (62)

TheSarajevo derby (Bosnian:Sarajevski derbi,Serbian:Сарајевски дерби), also known as theEternal derby (Bosnian:Vječiti derbi), is the name given to anyfootball match between rival clubsŽeljezničar andSarajevo, the two primary clubs inSarajevo,Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the most viewed annual sporting event in Bosnia and Herzegovina.^[1]

Željezničar leads in head-to-head results in competitive matches with 48 wins to Sarajevo's 46 with 62 draws. Along withZrinjski Mostar andŠiroki Brijeg, they are the only clubs in theBosnian Premier League to have never been relegated.^[2]

This fixture is not only Bosnia and Herzegovina's premier football rivalry, but it has also been recognized internationally, being featured amongFourFourTwo’s50 Biggest Derbies in the World.^[3]

The history of the Sarajevo derby dates back to 1954, but the rivalry began eight years earlier. At the end of theWorld War II the three major clubs in Sarajevo,Đerzelez,SAŠK andSlavija, were disbanded by the new authorities which formedFK Sarajevo in 1946.^[4] Since the idea was for this new club to represent the city on a national level, SD Torpedo, as initially FK Sarajevo was called, needed the best players from the city. Numerous notable players were brought to the club, and they received good salaries for that time. On the other side,FK Željezničar Sarajevo is a club which was formed by a group of railway workers much earlier, in 1921. However, until then, during the pre-war period, they were in the shadow of Đerzelez, SAŠK and Slavija and had never managed to qualify to theYugoslav Championship. Željezničar won the second-tier Bosnian championship title in 1946, as part of theYugoslav football league system, and that achievement marked the beginning of their climb. After the war, these two clubs became the most prominent and successful clubs inSarajevo, and since then, the rivalry between the two has been intense.

Grbavica Stadium (left), the home ofŽeljezničar, andKoševo Stadium (right), the home ofSarajevo

FK Sarajevo supporters were considered to be upper-class individuals, mainly fromBosniak dominated old and central parts of town. On the other side, supporters of FK Željezničar were usually working-class with a liberal image. Those differences were later partly erased. FK Željezničar still has the image of a liberal club and they are also popular among other supporters in the region, while FK Sarajevo's support outside Sarajevo comes mostly from the Bosniak dominated areas in the region and diaspora.^{[citation needed]}

Since they played in different levels, the first matches between FK Željezničar and FK Sarajevo were friendlies. The first official league match was held in 1954; FK Sarajevo won 6–1. That is still the biggest victory by any team in these matches.

As of 27 September 2025, 136 league matches have been played. Željezničar have won 40 times, Sarajevo have won 38 times, while 58 matches have ended in a draw. Goal difference is 154:154. In all competitions, Željezničar and Sarajevo have played 156 times, Željezničar have won 48 times, Sarajevo have won 46 times and 62 games have ended in a draw.

As of match played 27 September 2025

The Sarajevo derby is currently played three times a year in the Premier league, but they may also play against one another in other competitions. There are also friendly matches and games played in various tournaments. Although these games are not included in official statistics.

• Total:FK Sarajevo18 times higher,FK Željezničar12 times higher.

• Most appearances:Slobodan Janjuš – 21 (16 for Željezničar, 5 for Sarajevo)
• Best goalscorers:Asim Ferhatović (Sarajevo),Dželaludin Muharemović (Željezničar) – 6 goals
• Record win: Željezničar – Torpedo 9:1 (29 December 1946, first derby match recorded)
• Biggest attendance: 55,000 (10 March 1982, Koševo Stadium)
• Double victory (two wins in a season): Željezničar (1968–69, 1989–90, 2000–01, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2019–20); Sarajevo (1955–56, 1966–67, 1998–99, 2006–07, 2018–19);
• Longest unbeaten run: 11 games (Sarajevo: 6 June 1963 – 1 December 1968; Željezničar: 15 October 2000 – 5 April 2006)
• Longest unbeaten run (home): 17 games (Željezničar: 3 April 1977 – 26 October 1997)
• Longest unbeaten run (away): 6 games (Sarajevo: 2 June 1963 – 29 June 1969; Željezničar: 28 April 2001 – 21 April 2007)
• Longest winning run: 3 games (Željezničar: 14 May 1988 – 10 December 1989; Sarajevo: 5 April 2006 – 21 April 2007)
• Longest winning run (home): 3 games (Željezničar two times: 23 August 1981 – 18 March 1984 & 10 October 1999 – 11 May 2002)
• Longest winning run (away): Two games by both teams on several occasions;
• Radmilo Mihajlović is the only player to score a hat-trick. (7 September 1986, Željezničar won 4–1)

Note that only league matches are included in statistics. Cup, other tournaments and friendly matches are not included.

Likely, the best known thing about the Sarajevo derby are the fans, who create an impressive atmosphere with cheering and choreography. Both sides prepare intensely between the matches, make large flags and special messages that are appropriate for that particular occasion, to be usually directed towards the opposing side.

FK Željezničar's most passionate fans (wearing blue) are calledManijaci because their love for the club is on the edge of insanity, so it is said. They are located on the South side ofGrbavica Stadium (the Holy South as they call it). The older fans ones are known affectionately as the Košpicari (which can metaphorically be translated as "seed eaters", although the name itself has different meaning - namely that of "seed sellers").

FK Sarajevo's most passionate fans (crimson) are called theHorde Zla (Evil hordes) after the popularZagor comic book.^[5][6] At their home games at theAsim Ferhatović - Hase Stadium, they are located on the North stands, while the older fans are known as the Pitari (similar to the Košpicari etymology except referring to pie and not seeds) and they are mainly on the East side.

Both the two bigSarajevo clubs have a rivalry withSlavija Sarajevo,^[7][8] a club dominated byBosnian Serbs ineastern Sarajevo.^{[citation needed]}

Another football club from Sarajevo wasOlimpik; located in the neighbourhood ofOtoka, but their support group was very small.^{[citation needed]}

Olimpik's games between its rivals, FK Sarajevo and FK Željezničar, in town were known as thelittle town derby(Mali gradski derbi).^[9]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toFK Sarajevo.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toFK Željezničar.

• Football Derbies - Sarajevo derby
• Official Website of FK Sarajevo
• Official Website of FK Željezničar
• Website of FK Sarajevo supporters
• Website of FK Željezničar supporters 1
• Website of FK Željezničar supporters 2Archived 4 May 2015 at theWayback Machine
• Unofficial Website of FK Sarajevo

• FK Sarajevo
• Football derbies in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Sport in Sarajevo
• Recurring sporting events established in 1954
• 1954 establishments in Bosnia and Herzegovina

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