FC Rostov

Russian professional football club

Football club

Rostov

Full name| Футбольный клуб Ростов
(Football Club Rostov)
Nickname(s)| Selmashi (Derived from the historical name Rostselmash)
Muzhiki (Tough Guys)
Founded| 10 May 1930; 95 years ago (1930-05-10)
Ground| Rostov Arena
Capacity| 45,000
Owner| Rostov Oblast
President| Artashes Arutyunyants
Manager| Jonatan Alba
League| Russian Premier League
2024–25| Russian Premier League, 8th of 16
Website| www.fc-rostov.ru

Home colours

Current season

FC Rostov (Russian: Футбольный клуб Ростов) is a Russian professional football club based in Rostov-on-Don. The club competes in the Russian Premier League, playing their home matches at the Rostov Arena.

## History

[edit]

The club's former home stadium, Olimp-2

### Soviet era (1930-1991)

[edit]

The club was established on 10 May 1930, and was initially named Selmashstroy (Сельмашстрой). They were renamed Selmash in 1936 and Traktor in 1941. In 1950, the club joined the South Zone of the Azov-Don group of the Russian SFSR Championship. The following season they were placed in Group B of the championship. After finishing first in their group, they played in Group A in 1952. A third-place finish meant the club were promoted to the Class B for the 1953 season, during which they were renamed again, becoming Torpedo. In 1958, they were renamed Rostselmash.[citation needed]

In 1964 the club won their Division of Class B. In the Russian-zone play-offs they finished second in the first round and top in the second after defeating Terek Grozny 2–0 in the deciding match, earning promotion to the Soviet First League. The following season they finished bottom of the division, but were not relegated as the number of teams in the division was increased.[citation needed]

By the early 1970s the club was back in the Russian leagues. In 1975 they returned to Class B (now known as the Soviet Second League). Following several near misses, the club won their zone of the Second League in 1985. They went on to win a play-off tournament, earning promotion back to the First League.[citation needed]

### Modern era (1991 - present)

[edit]

In 1991 the club finished fourth in what was the final season of Soviet football following the USSR's disintegration. This was enough to earn them a place in the new Russian Top League. Following an eighth-place finish in their first season, the 1993 season saw the club struggle, eventually finishing second bottom, resulting in relegation to the First League.[citation needed]

The club made an immediate return to the Top League after finishing second in the 1994 First League season. In 2003, they adopted their current name and reached the Russian Cup final for the first time, losing 1–0 to Spartak Moscow.[1] In 2007 they finished bottom of the (now renamed) Premier Division and were relegated to the First Division. However, they made another return to the top division as First Division champions.[citation needed]

Rostov won the 2013–14 Russian Cup, defeating FC Krasnodar on penalties 6–5, and earned qualification to the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League. However Rostov were excluded from the competition at the end of May 2014, due to breached financial rules, being replaced by Spartak Moscow.[2][3] Later Rostov appealed the decision of the local football federation to lift the club from the tournament in the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, the club won the right to play.[4]

The club's current home stadium, Rostov Arena

On 18 December 2014, the official website of FC Rostov announced the appointment of Kurban Berdyev as head coach. Under his leadership, the team has maintained a place in the Premier League on aggregate (1–0, 4–1) beating "Tosno" in the play-offs Premier League – First Division. Throughout the second half of 2015, the club had problems with the payment of salaries and bonuses the players, but it has not prevented the club at the end of the first part of the season 2015–16 to hold 2nd place in the championship.[citation needed]

In the 2016–17 season, Rostov earned a UEFA Champions League spot in the League Route as runners-up of the Russian Premier League. In the third qualifying round, they were drawn against Anderlecht. After a 2–2 home draw, they beat Anderlecht 2–0 away. In the play-off, Rostov were drawn against Dutch giants Ajax. In the first leg in Amsterdam, Netherlands, they held on to a 1–1 draw, which gave them an away goal advantage. In the return leg, Rostov earned a 4–1 surprise win over Ajax and qualified for the UEFA Champions League group stages, a stunning performance as was their first qualification into the group stages of a European tournament.[5] Rostov were drawn in Group D, against Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid and PSV Eindhoven,[6][7] gaining their first Champions League victory on 23 November 2016, defeating Bayern Munich 3–2 at Olimp-2.[8]

On 9 June 2017, Rostov announced Leonid Kuchuk as their new manager on a one-year contract with the option of an additional year.[9] Kuchuk resigned and was replaced by Valeri Karpin during the winter break in December 2017.[10]

On 19 June 2020, Rostov were due to play their first match of the restarted Russian Premier League season, which had been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, against PFC Sochi. Rostov were in fourth place, just a few points of UEFA Champions League qualification. A few days before the match, six players in Rostov's first-team squad tested positive for the coronavirus, putting the entire first-team squad into a 14-day quarantine period.[11] This forced the club to select their Under-18 squad to play the match, making it the youngest starting 11 and the youngest matchday squad in Russian Premier League history. Rostov would go on to lose 10–1, but the youngsters were highly praised for their performance with 17-year-old goalkeeper Denis Popov named man-of-the-match after saving a penalty and making 15 saves,[12] a Russian Premier League record,[13] and 17-year-old Roman Romanov scoring his first senior goal on his debut in the first minute of the match.[citation needed]

On 26 October 2021, Rostov announced Turkmenistani coach Vitaly Kafanov as their new manager.[14]

In 2022, the European Club Association suspended Rostov, citing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[15]

Rostov was 2nd in the 2022–23 Russian Premier League with 5 games left, but lost 4 out of 5 games and dropped to 4th place at the final table.

In the first match of the 2023–24 RPL season with Fakel Voronezh, Rostov scored his thousandth goal in the history of the Russian championships, becoming the sixth team to have such an achievement.[16]

In the 2024–25 season, Rostov reached the Russian Cup superfinal, which they lost to CSKA in a penalty shoot-out.[17]

## Seasons

[edit]

### Domestic

[edit]

Season  | Div.  | Pos.  | Pl.  | W  | D  | L  | GS  | GA  | P  | Cup | Europe  | Top scorer (league)  | Head coach

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1992 | 1st | 8 | 26  | 8  | 7  | 11  | 22  | 28  | 23 | R8  | \-  | \-  |  Tikhonov – 7  |  Yulgushov
1993 | 17 | 34  | 8  | 12  | 14  | 35  | 52  | 28 | R8  | \-  | \-  |  Spanderashvili – 8  |  Yulgushov
1994 | 2nd | 2 | 42  | 27  | 8  | 7  | 92  | 44  | 62 | R16  | \-  | \-  |  Maslov – 32  |  Yulgushov
1995 | 1st | 14 | 30  | 8  | 4  | 18  | 35  | 56  | 28 | R16  | \-  | \-  |  Maslov – 18  |  Yulgushov
Andreyev
1996 | 11 | 34  | 11  | 8  | 15  | 58  | 60  | 41 | R8  | \-  | \-  |  Maslov – 23  |  Andreyev
1997 | 13 | 34  | 9  | 14  | 11  | 34  | 38  | 41 | R16  | \-  | \-  |  Gerasimenko – 8  |  Andreyev
1998 | 6 | 30  | 11  | 11  | 8  | 42  | 38  | 44 | QF  | \-  | \-  |  Matveyev – 14  |  Andreyev
1999 | 7 | 30  | 11  | 8  | 11  | 32  | 37  | 41 | R16  | UIC | SF  |  Pestryakov – 7  |  Andreyev
2000 | 12 | 30  | 6  | 14  | 10  | 24  | 27  | 32 | R16  | UIC | 3R  |  Kirichenko – 14  |  Andreyev
2001 | 12 | 30  | 8  | 8  | 14  | 29  | 43  | 32 | R16  | \-  | \-  |  Kirichenko – 13  |  Balakhnin
Baidachny
2002 | 11 | 30  | 7  | 10  | 13  | 29  | 49  | 31 | RU | \-  | \-  |  Adamu – 5  |  Baidachny
Balakhnin
2003 | 11 | 30  | 8  | 10  | 12  | 30  | 42  | 34 | QF  | \-  | \-  |  Osinov – 7  |  Balakhnin
2004 | 12 | 30  | 7  | 8  | 15  | 28  | 42  | 29 | R8  | \-  | \-  |  Pérez – 5  |  Shevchenko
Balakhnin
2005 | 13 | 30  | 8  | 7  | 15  | 26  | 41  | 31 | R16  | \-  | \-  |  Buznikin – 8  |  Styopushkin
Petrakov
2006 | 12 | 30  | 10  | 6  | 14  | 42  | 48  | 36 | QF  | \-  | \-  |  Osinov – 12  |  Balakhnin
2007 | 16 | 30  | 2  | 12  | 16  | 18  | 44  | 18 | R8  | \-  | \-  |  Osinov – 4
Kanyenda – 4  |  Dolmatov
2008 | 2nd | 1 | 42  | 29  | 9  | 4  | 78  | 29  | 96 | R32  | \-  | \-  |  Osinov – 16  |  Dolmatov
2009 | 1st | 14 | 30  | 7  | 11  | 12  | 28  | 39  | 32 | R16  | \-  | \-  |  Akimov – 6
Ahmetović – 6  |  Dolmatov
2010 | 9 | 30  | 10  | 4  | 16  | 27  | 44  | 34 | SF  | \-  | \-  |  Adamov – 8  |  Protasov
2011–12 | 13 | 44  | 12  | 12  | 20  | 45  | 61  | 48 | SF  | \-  | \-  |  Adamov – 11  |  Protasov
Lyutyi
Talalayev
Balakhnin
Baidachny
2012–13 | 13 | 30  | 7  | 8  | 15  | 30  | 41  | 29 | SF  | \-  | \-  |  Holenda – 6  |  Božović
2013–14 | 7 | 30  | 10  | 9  | 11  | 40  | 40  | 39 | Winner | \-  | \-  |  Dzyuba – 17  |  Božović
2014–15 | 14 | 30  | 7  | 8  | 15  | 27  | 51  | 29 | R16  | UEL | PO |  Grigoryev – 5  |  Božović
Berdyev
2015–16 | 2 | 30  | 19  | 6  | 5  | 41  | 20  | 63 | R32  | \-  | \-  |  Azmoun – 9  |  Berdyev
2016–17 | 6 | 30  | 13  | 9  | 8  | 36  | 18  | 48 | R32  | UCL
UEL | GS
R16 |  Azmoun
Poloz – 7  |  Berdyev
Kirichenko (caretaker)
Daniliants
2017–18 | 11 | 30  | 9  | 10  | 11  | 27  | 28  | 37 | R16  | \-  | \-  |  Ionov – 5  |  Kuchuk
Kirichenko (caretaker)
Karpin
2018–19 | 9 | 30  | 10  | 11  | 9  | 25  | 23  | 41 | SF  | \-  | \-  |  Ionov – 6  |  Karpin
2019–20 | 5 | 30  | 12  | 9  | 9  | 45  | 50  | 45 | R16  | \-  | \-  |  Shomurodov – 11  |  Karpin
2020–21 | 9 | 30  | 13  | 4  | 13  | 37  | 35  | 43 | R16  | UEL | 3QR |  Hashimoto – 6
Poloz – 6  |  Karpin
2021–22 | 9 | 30  | 10  | 8  | 12  | 47  | 51  | 38 | R32  | \-  | \-  |  Poloz – 14  |  Karpin
Syomin
Tedeyev (caretaker)
Kafanov
Karpin
2022–23 | 4 | 30  | 15  | 8  | 7  | 48  | 44  | 53 | SF  | \-  | \-  |  Komlichenko – 10  |  Karpin
2023–24 | 7 | 30  | 12  | 7  | 11  | 43  | 46  | 43 | SF  | \-  | \-  |  Golenkov – 8  |  Karpin

### European

[edit]

Main article: FC Rostov in European football

As of match played 24 September 2020
Competition  | Pld  | W  | D  | L  | GF  | GA

|
|
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|
|
|

UEFA Intertoto Cup | 8  | 2  | 1  | 5  | 7  | 18
UEFA Europa League | 7  | 1  | 3  | 3  | 7  | 7
UEFA Champions League | 10  | 3  | 4  | 3  | 15  | 16
Total | 25 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 29 | 41
Season  | Competition  | Round  | Opponent  | Home  | Away  | Aggregate

|
|
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1999 | UEFA Intertoto Cup | 2R |  FK Cementarnica 55 | 2–1  | 1–1  | 3–2
3R |  NK Varteks | 0–1  | 2–1  | 2–2 (a)
SF |  Juventus | 0–4  | 1–5  | 1–9
2000 | UEFA Intertoto Cup | 3R |  AJ Auxerre | 0–2  | 1–3  | 1–5
2014–15 | UEFA Europa League | PO |  Trabzonspor | 0–2  | 0–0  | 0–2
2016–17 | UEFA Champions League | 3R |  Anderlecht | 2–2  | 2–0  | 4–2
PO |  Ajax | 4–1  | 1–1  | 5–2
Group D |  Bayern Munich | 3–2  | 0–5  | 3rd place
Atlético Madrid | 0–1  | 1–2
PSV Eindhoven | 2–2  | 0–0
UEFA Europa League | R32 |  Sparta Prague | 4–0  | 1–1  | 5–1
R16 |  Manchester United | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2
2020–21 | UEFA Europa League | 3Q |  Maccabi Haifa | 1–2  | —  | 1–2

Notes

* 3Q: Third qualifying round
* 2R: Second round
* 3R: Third round
* PO: Play-off round
* SF: Semi–finals

## Honours

[edit]

### Domestic competitions

[edit]

* Russian Premier League
* Runners-up (1): 2015–16
* Russian Cup
* Winners (1): 2013–14
* Russian Super Cup
* Runners-up (1): 2014
* Russian National Football League
* Winners (1): 2008

## Players

[edit]

As of 8 August 2025, according to the Russian Premier League's official website.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation  | Player

|
|
|

1  | GK |  TJK | Rustam Yatimov
3  | DF |  NIG | Oumar Sako
4  | DF |  RUS | Viktor Melyokhin
5  | DF |  RUS | Danila Prokhin
6  | DF |  RUS | Aleksandr Tarasov
7  | FW |  BRA | Ronaldo
8  | MF |  RUS | Aleksei Mironov
9  | MF |  IRN | Mohammad Mohebi
10  | MF |  RUS | Kirill Shchetinin
13  | GK |  BIH | Hidajet Hankić
17  | MF |  NGA | Ibraheem Mahfus Ajasa
18  | MF |  RUS | Konstantin Kuchayev
19  | MF |  ARM | Khoren Bayramyan
22  | DF |  RUS | David Semenchuk
34  | DF |  EGY | Eyad El Askalany
39  | DF |  RUS | Maksim Radchenko
| No. | Pos. | Nation  | Player

|
|
|

40  | DF |  RUS | Ilya Vakhaniya
51  | MF |  RUS | Aleksey Koltakov
54  | MF |  RUS | Andrey Amosov
57  | MF |  RUS | Ilya Zhbanov
58  | MF |  RUS | Daniil Shantaly
62  | MF |  RUS | Ivan Komarov
64  | DF |  RUS | Aleksandr Mukhin
67  | DF |  RUS | German Ignatov
69  | FW |  RUS | Yegor Golenkov
71  | GK |  RUS | Daniil Odoyevsky (on loan from Zenit St. Petersburg)
78  | DF |  RUS | Dmitri Chistyakov
87  | DF |  RUS | Andrei Langovich
88  | FW |  TKM | Denis Titow
91  | FW |  RUS | Anton Shamonin
99  | FW |  RUS | Timur Suleymanov

### Other players under contract

[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation  | Player

|
|
|

-- | DF |  RUS | Yevgeni Chernov
-- | DF |  BIH | Dennis Hadžikadunić
| No. | Pos. | Nation  | Player

|
|
|

-- | DF |  RUS | Igor Kalinin

### Out on loan

[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation  | Player

|
|
|

-- | DF |  RUS | Artur Maksetsov (at Leningradets until 30 June 2026)
-- | MF |  RUS | Imran Aznaurov (at Rotor Volgograd until 30 June 2026)
-- | MF |  RUS | Daniil Utkin (at Baltika Kaliningrad until 30 June 2026)
-- | MF |  RUS | Ilya Zubenko (at Volga Ulyanovsk until 30 June 2026)
| No. | Pos. | Nation  | Player

|
|
|

-- | FW |  RUS | Kirill Cheburakov (at Gomel until 31 December 2025)
-- | FW |  RUS | Kirill Moiseyev (at Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk until 30 June 2026)
-- | FW |  RUS | Maksim Turishchev (at Fakel Voronezh until 30 June 2026)

## Coaching staff

[edit]

Position  | Staff

|

Manager |  Jonatan Alba Cabello
First-Team Coach |  Viktor Onopko
Mikhail Osinov
Analyst/coach |  Marcos Merino Mazón
Goalkeeping coach |  Andrei Kondratyuk
Rehabilitation trainer |  Álvaro Sayabera Iñarrea
Physiotherapist-rehabilitation specialist |  Raúl Álvarez Canle
Xavier Sanabria Alvaro
Physiotherapist |  Alejandro Nunez Lopez
Rehabilitation specialist |  Aleksei Muzalevsky
Doctor |  Denis Vsyansky
Massage therapist |  Grigory Davidyan
Massage therapist |  Nikita Kovalyov
Massage therapist |  Mikhail Murashkintsev

Source: Rostov

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Russian Cup 2003". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2022-10-07. Retrieved 2012-09-24.
2. ^ "Spartak Moscow will replace FC Rostov". www.espnfc.com. ESPN. 30 May 2014. Archived from the original on 23 August 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
3. ^ "Moscow "Spartak" because of "sanctions" was in the Europa League". ru-facts.com. ru-facts. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
4. ^ ""РОСТОВ" СЫГРАЕТ В ЛИГЕ ЕВРОПЫ!!!". Archived from the original on 2017-08-23. Retrieved 2014-07-15.
5. ^ "Rostov stun Ajax to book group stage debut". UEFA.com. UEFA. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
6. ^ "UEFA Champions League group stage draw". UEFA.com. UEFA. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
7. ^ "Champions League roundup: four-time winners Ajax crash out to FC Rostov". Guardian. 24 August 2016. Archived from the original on 25 August 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
8. ^ "FC Rostov 3–2 Bayern Munich". bbc.co.uk. BBC Sport. 23 November 2016. Archived from the original on 24 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
9. ^ "Леонид Кучук – новый главный тренер Ростова". fc-rostov.ru (in Russian). FC Rostov. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 13 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
10. ^ "Валерий Карпин – новый главный тренер ФК Ростов" (in Russian). FC Rostov. 19 December 2017. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
11. ^ "FC Rostov goes on a two-week quarantine" (in Russian). FC Rostov. 17 June 2020. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
12. ^ "Заслуженная награда реально лучшему игроку этого матча" (in Russian). FC Rostov. 19 June 2020. Archived from the original on 19 June 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
13. ^ "17-летний вратарь Ростова Попов сделал 15 сэйвов в матче с Сочи. Это рекорд РПЛ" (in Russian). Sports.ru. 19 June 2020. Archived from the original on 26 June 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
14. ^ "Виталий Кафанов стал главным тренером футбольного клуба "Ростов" | Спорт". Туркменистан, интернет портал о культурной, деловой и развлекательной жизни в Туркменистане. Archived from the original on 2021-10-27. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
15. ^ "Which sports have banned Russian athletes?". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 2022-03-20. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
16. ^ "Клуб Карпина забил тысячный гол и победил "Факел"". Sportrbc.ru (in Russian). 2023-07-23. Archived from the original on 2023-07-24. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
17. ^ "ЦСКА – победитель FONBET Кубка России 2024/2025" [CSKA is the winner of FONBET Russian Cup 2024-25] (in Russian). Russian Premier League. 1 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to FC Rostov.

* Official website (in Russian)

* v
* t
* e

FC Rostov

Stadiums|

* Olimp-2
* Rostov Arena

Records|

* Records
* Europe

Seasons|

* 2009
* 2010
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25

Players|

* Notable players

* v
* t
* e

Russian Premier League teams

2025–26 teams|

* Akhmat Grozny
* Akron Tolyatti
* Baltika Kaliningrad
* CSKA Moscow
* Dynamo Makhachkala
* Dynamo Moscow
* Krasnodar
* Krylia Sovetov Samara
* Lokomotiv Moscow
* Orenburg
* Pari NN
* Rostov
* Rubin Kazan
* Sochi
* Spartak Moscow
* Zenit Saint Petersburg

Former teams|

* Amkar Perm
* Arsenal Tula
* Chernomorets Novorossiysk
* Dynamo Stavropol
* Fakel Voronezh
* KAMAZ Naberezhnye Chelny
* Rotor Volgograd
* Saturn Ramenskoye
* Shinnik Yaroslavl
* SKA-Khabarovsk
* Sokol Saratov
* Spartak Nalchik
* Tekstilshchik Kamyshin
* Torpedo Moscow
* Tyumen
* Ufa
* Ural Yekaterinburg
* Uralan Elista
* Yenisey Krasnoyarsk

Defunct teams|

* Alania Vladikavkaz
* Anzhi Makhachkala
* Asmaral Moscow
* Khimki
* Kuban Krasnodar
* Lada-Tolyatti
* Lokomotiv Nizhny Novgorod
* Luch Vladivostok
* Mordovia Saransk
* Moscow
* Okean Nakhodka
* Sibir Novosibirsk
* Tambov
* Tom Tomsk
* Torpedo-ZIL Moscow
* Tosno
* Volga Nizhny Novgorod
* Zhemchuzhina-Sochi

*[No.]: Number
*[Pos.]: Position
*[GK]: Goalkeeper
*[DF]: Defender
*[FW]: Forward
*[MF]: Midfielder
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template