FC Neftchi Fergana

Not to be confused with Neftçi PFK.

F.C. Neftchi Fergana (Uzbek: Neftchi Fargʻona futbol klubi, Uzbek cyrillic: Нефтчи Фарғона футбол клуби) is an Uzbek professional football club based in Fergana. They play in the top division in Uzbekistani football and are multiple champions of Uzbekistan.

F.C. Neftchi

Full name	Neftchi Fargʻona Futbol Klubi
Nickname(s)	Buyuk chinorlar (Great maples) Yoʻlbarslar (The Tigers)
Founded	1962; 62 years ago (1962)
Ground	Istiqlol Stadium Fergana
Capacity	20,000
Owner	Fergana city administration
President	Khabib Sirozhiddinov
Head coach	Vitaly Levchenko
League	Uzbekistan Super League
2023	USL, 5th of 14
Website	https://fcneftchi.uz/
Home colours Away colours
Current season

History

Neftchi was founded 1962 and appeared in the Soviet Second League (Central Asian Division) from 1962 to 1991 under the name Neftyanik Fergana. In 1990, the club advanced to the Soviet First League, winning Soviet Second League, conference East. In 1991 Soviet First League Neftchi ranked at 7th place which was club's highest achievement in Soviet football history.^[1] Since 1992, the club has been playing in the Uzbek League, and along with Pakhtakor Tashkent and Navbahor Namangan, continuously participated in all seasons of the Uzbek League without a break.

Domestic history

Season	League									Uzbek Cup	Top goalscorer		Manager
	Div.	Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GS	GA	P		Name	League
1992	1st	1st	32	23	5	4	66	14	51	Semifinal	Rustam Durmonov	13
1993	1st	1st	30	24	4	2	83	27	52	Semifinal	Rustam Durmonov	24
1994	1st	1st	30	21	8	1	82	36	50	Champions	Ravshan Bozorov	26
1995	1st	1st	30	24	4	2	83	32	76	Semifinal
1996	1st	2nd	30	23	3	4	72	30	72	Champions	Sergey Lebedev	13
1997	1st	2nd	34	26	3	5	105	42	81	Runners Up	Ravshan Bozorov
1998	1st	2nd	30	21	7	2	82	27	70	Runners Up	Sergey Lebedev	18
1999	1st	2nd	30	20	3	7	71	34	63	Semifinal	Umid Isoqov	24
2000	1st	2nd	38	28	6	4	96	32	90		Umid Isoqov	19
2001	1st	1st	34	27	3	4	93	27	84	Runners Up	Umid Isoqov	28
2002	1st	2nd	30	22	3	5	82	32	69	Runners Up	Mukhtor Kurbonov	20
2003	1st	2nd	30	23	2	5	80	35	71	Quarterfinal	Umid Isoqov	22
2004	1st	2nd	26	21	2	3	61	26	65	Semifinal	Umid Isoqov	17
2005	1st	5th	26	13	1	12	40	28	40	Runners Up	Anvar Berdiev	10
2006	1st	2nd	30	23	2	5	60	23	71	Semifinal	Nosirbek Otakuziev	19
2007	1st	4th	30	19	4	7	53	28	61	Semifinal	Akmal Kholmatov	19
2008	1st	3rd	30	18	6	6	42	25	60	Semifinal	Anvar Berdiev	12
2009	1st	5th	30	14	4	12	43	38	46	Semifinal	Sherzod Khakimov	10
2010	1st	10th	26	8	5	13	36	45	29	Semifinal	Alisher Kholiqov	13	Yuriy Sarkisyan
2011	1st	4th	26	13	5	8	36	27	44	Quarterfinal	Anvar Berdiev	11	Yuriy Sarkisyan
2012	1st	6th	26	10	7	9	36	29	37	Last 16	Anvar Berdiev	19	Yuriy Sarkisyan
2013	1st	9th	26	9	3	14	28	31	30	Quarterfinal	Nosirbek Otakuziev	6	Yuriy Sarkisyan Evgeniy Shokhin
2014	1st	8th	26	7	7	12	19	26	28	R32	Sherzod Khakimov	6	Murod Ismoilov
2015	1st	5th	26	16	4	10	41	30	52	R32	Sherzod Khakimov	8	Murod Ismoilov Andrei Fyodorov
2016	1st	11th	30	9	4	17	28	43	31	R3	Sherzod Khakimov	9	Andrei Fyodorov
2017	1st	15th	30	6	9	15	23	48	27	Quarterfinal	Muiddin Mamazulunov	9	Andrei Fyodorov Vadim Abramov
2018	1st	12th	20	4	6	10	14	26	18	Round of 16	Sherzod Khakimov	4	Sergey Kovshov
2019	2nd	5th	28	15	3	10	37	26	48	Round of 16	Xamidullo Abduvohidov	4	Abdusmad Durmanov
2020	2nd	2nd	20	11	4	5	27	17	37	2QR	Doston Toshmatov	12	Abdusmad Durmanov
2021	2nd	1st	20	14	3	3	45	15	45	Last 16	Marko Obradović	12
2022	1st	9th	26	8	8	10	31	32	32	Round of 16	Sirojiddin Kuziyev	5	Ilkhom Muminjonov Vitaly Levchenko

Continental record

As of match played 23 May 2012

Competition	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
Asian Club Championship	17	9	4	4	42	20
Asian Cup Winners' Cup	2	1	0	1	3	6
AFC Cup	15	6	6	3	28	25
AFC Champions League	23	9	1	13	29	38
Total	57	25	11	21	102	89

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1994–95	Asian Club Championship	Preliminary round	Ansat Pavlodar	3–0		1st
			Alga Bishkek	9–0
			Sitora Dushanbe	3–0
			Köpetdag Aşgabat	2–1
		First round	—	Bye
		Second round	Saipa	1–1	2–2	3–3 (a)
		Quarterfinals	Al Ansar	2–2		2nd
			Al-Arabi	0–1
			Al-Wasl	4–1
		Semifinal	Thai Farmers Bank	2–2 (a.e.t.) (2–3 p)
		Third place match	Ilhwa Chunma	1–0
1995	Asian Club Championship	First round	Yelimay Semipalatinsk	3–1	1–4	4–5
1996–97	Asian Club Championship	First round	Pamir Dushanbe	4–1	4–1	8–2
		Second round	Al-Zawraa	1–2	0–1	1–3
1997–98	Asian Cup Winners' Cup	First round	Köpetdag Aşgabat	3–2	0–4	3–6
1998–99	Asian Club Championship	First round	Vakhsh Qurghonteppa	w/o
2002–03	AFC Champions League	QR3	Al-Ahli	6–0	2–1	8–1
		QR4	Esteghlal	2–1	0–1	2–2 (a)
2004	AFC Champions League	Group D	Sepahan	1–3	0–4	4th
			Al-Arabi	1–2	2–3
			Al-Ittihad	1–3	0–3
2005	AFC Champions League	Group C	Kuwait	1–0	0–1	2nd
			Al Sadd	2–0	2–3
			Shabab Al Ahli	3–0	0–3
2007	AFC Champions League	Group C	Al-Najaf	1–1	1–0	2nd
			Al Sadd	2–1	0–2
			Al-Karamah	2–1	0–2
2009	AFC Cup	Group A	Busaiteen	1–1	2–2	2nd
			Al Ahed	2–1	1–5
			Al-Tilal	1–0	5–0
		Round of 16	Al-Majd	0–0 (a.e.t.) (1–3 p)
		Quarterfinal	South China	5–4	0–1	5–5 (a)
2012	AFC Champions League	Playoff Round	Al Shabab	0–3
2012	AFC Cup	Group D	Salgaocar	3–0	2–2	2nd
			Al-Wehdat	2–1	1–3
			Al-Orouba	3–1	0–0
		Round of 16	Erbil	0–4

Rivalries

Uzbek El Classico

Main article: Uzbek El Clasico

Traditionally there is always rivalry between two strongest teams in any League in club football. Since 1992 in Oliy League in Uzbekistan those two clubs were Neftchi and capital club Pakhtakor Tashkent.^[2] Already in first edition of Oliy League in 1992 bothe teams finished first with the same points and were recognised as champions. This competition goes on over the years. The match between Pakhtakor and Neftchi is held since 1992. The first match between the two clubs was played on 25 May 1992 in Tashkent. The match of two rivals became later the name O'zbek Classikosi by analogy with Spanish Clasico.

Valley derbies

Neftchi's biggest local rival has always been Navbahor Namangan, club from Fergana Valley region. Like Neftchi also Navbahor along Pakhtakor continuously is playing in Uzbek League since 1992 without any break. This rivalry was always of enormous interest of both fans sides.

Another Neftchi's Valley rival is FK Andijan. Andijan was founded in 1964.

Stadium

Neftchi played ist home matches initially at Fargona Stadium. Fargona Stadium was built in 1932 and was home ground of the club until 2012. The stadium was closed for reconstruction. The plans for construction of the new arena in another location were unveiled in 2011. The construction works for new 20,000 seater arena named Istiqlol Stadium in Fergana started in January 2012 and were finished at the end of 2014. It was planned Neftchi would play its home matches at new stadium in 2015. Neftchi played its home matches in 2012–14 and some matches of 2015 seasons at Kirguli SM Stadium and Kokand Stadium.

The opening match of the new Istiqlol stadium was held on 3 April 2015 with a friendly between Uzbekistan U-20 and New Zealand U-20 which ended with 1–0 victory of host team.^[3] The first official League match at the new stadium was played on 18 April 2018 with match Neftchi – Mash'al Mubarek.

Honours

Domestic

League

• Soviet Second League (East conference)
  • Winners (1): 1990
• Uzbek League
  • Winners (5): 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2001
• Uzbekistan Pro League
  • Winners (1): 2021

Cups

• Uzbek Cup
  • Winners (2): 1994, 1996

Players

Main article: List of FC Neftchi Fergana players

Current squad

As of 29 September 2024^[4]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  UZB Botirali Ergashev 2 DF  TJK Zoir Dzhuraboyev 3 DF  UZB Jaloliddin Jumaboev 4 DF  SRB Bojan Ciger 8 MF  UZB Sardor Abduraimov 9 FW  UZB Khusayin Norchaev 10 FW  UZB Shokhruz Norkhonov 11 MF  UZB Javokhir Kahramonov 14 DF  UZB Khurshid Mukhtorov 16 GK  UZB Asrorbek Kenjaev 17 MF  UZB Sanjar Kodirkulov 19 DF  UZB Mirzokhid Gofurov

No. Pos. Nation Player 20 DF  UZB Anvarjon Gofurov 21 DF  UZB Muhsinjon Ubaydullaev 22 MF  UZB Azizbek Amonov 23 MF  UZB Diyorjon Turapov 24 MF  UZB Gulyamkhaydar Gulyamov 28 FW  UZB Behruz Oblakulov 45 GK  UZB Akbar Turaev 55 MF  TJK Manuchekhr Safarov 66 DF  UZB Doniyor Valiev 70 MF  UZB Abbos Gulomov 77 MF  UZB Bilolkhon Toshmirzaev 99 FW  NGA Effiong Nsungusi

Current technical staff

As of 25 February 2024

Position	Name
Manager	Vitaly Levchenko
Assistant coach	Vladimir Yejurov
Assistant coach	Anvar Norkulov
Assistant coach	Lutfulla Turaev
Fitness coach	Farruh Berdiev

Managerial history

• Arkadi Alov (1969–1971)
• Ivan Larin (1972)
• Yuriy Sarkisyan (Jan 1987 – May 16, 2013)
• Amet Memet (2013–2014)
• Murod Ismoilov (May 16, 2013 – Sept 14, 2015)
• Andrey Fyodorov (Sept 15, 2015 – June 5, 2017)
• Vadim Abramov (June 5, 2017 – December 16, 2017)
• Sergey Kovshov (Januar 27, 2018 – present)
• Bakhrom Khaydarov (2018 — 2019)
• Abdusamad Durmonov (2019–2020)
• Sergey Lebedev
• Ilkhom Muminjonov (Jan 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022)
• Vitaliy Levchenko (July 1, 2022 – ...)

References

1. СССР. Сезон – 1990. Вторая лига. Восток. (in Russian). Клуб любителей истории и статистики футбола. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
2. Uzbekistan (in Uzbek). Мозийга қайтиб... "Нефтчи"ни фақат "Пахтакор" юта олади. Archived from the original on 28 October 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
3. "Uzbekistan U-20 outplays New Zealand". UzDaily. 2015-04-03. Archived from the original on 2017-06-30. Retrieved 2015-04-15.
4. "Neftchi". pfl.uz. Uzbekistan Professional Football League. Archived from the original on 15 March 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.

External links

• Official website (in Uzbek and Russian)
• FC Neftchi at Soccerway