FC Chelyabinsk

FC Chelyabinsk
Full nameFootball Club Chelyabinsk
Founded1977
GroundCentral Stadium
Capacity15,000
ChairmanKonstantin Arestov
ManagerRoman Pylypchuk
LeagueRussian First League
2024–25Russian Second League,
Division A,
Gold Group
First stage, 1st
Second stage, 6th
(promoted through play-offs)
Websitefc-chel.ru

Football Club Chelyabinsk (Russian: ФК «Челябинск») is a Russian football club from Chelyabinsk that will play in the Russian First League, the second tier of the Russian football league system, in the 2025–26 season.

It played professionally from 1989 to 1993 and from 1997 on. The club was called Strela Chelyabinsk (1977–1989) and Zenit Chelyabinsk (1990–2008). It played on the second-highest level, Russian First Division, in 1992 and 1993.

History

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The club was founded in 1977 as Strela Chelyabinsk. From 1977 to 1989 the club played in the regional leagues, and won the league title in 1980. The club also played the regional final 5 times, winning it in 1986 and 1987. In 1990 the club was renamed to Zenit Chelyabinsk. It was promoted to the second-highest level, Russian First Division, in 1992. The following year, the club was relegated.

In 2009 the club was renamed to its current name, FC Chelyabinsk. The club made a great run in the 2009–10 Russian Cup, reaching the round of 16. Chelyabinsk entered the competition in the second round, where they beat FC Tyumen. In the third round, they defeated Gornyak Uchaly, and in the fourth round, they eliminated Gazovik Orenburg 4–1. In the fifth round, they defeated second division club FC KAMAZ. Now in the round of 32, the club produced a massive upset when they beat Russian Premier League club PFC Krylia. Their run came to an end in the round of 16, where Mordovia Saransk defeated them 2–0.[1]

In the 2024–25 Second League Division A season, Chelyabinsk qualified to the promotion play-offs, where they defeated Volgar Astrakhan in a penalty shoot-out (after 1–1 aggregate tie), earning promotion to the Russian First League.[2]

Current squad

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As of 11 September 2025, according to the First League 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  RUS Vladimir Zadiraka
2 DF  RUS Aleksandr Zhirov
5 DF  RUS Bulat Gatin
7 MF  RUS Nikita Malyarov
9 MF  RUS Nikita Zyryanov
10 MF  RUS Ramazan Gadzhimuradov
11 MF  RUS Aleksandr Nosov
13 DF  RUS Artyom Tushin
14 MF  RUS Vasily Palkin
15 FW  RUS Denis Pushkaryov
16 GK  RUS Aleksandr Melezhechkin
17 MF  CIV Baba N'Diaye
18 MF  RUS Konstantin Kertanov
19 MF  RUS Timofey Komissarov
22 DF  RUS Aleksandr Gapechkin (on loan from Rodina Moscow)
23 MF  RUS Danila Yemelyanov
27 DF  RUS Khetag Kochiyev
29 FW  RUS Matvey Urvantsev
No. Pos. Nation Player
33 DF  RUS Alan Agayev (on loan from Rodina Moscow)
46 MF  RUS Nikita Pershin (on loan from Krylia Sovetov)
47 MF  RUS Yelizar Glukhov
51 MF  RUS Feliks Chapliyev
63 DF  RUS Aleksei Nikitenkov
66 DF  RUS Yan Gudkov
70 MF  RUS Garrik Levin
72 GK  RUS Oleg Novikov
74 MF  RUS Yefim Stanislavchuk
75 FW  RUS Timur Zhamaletdinov
77 MF  RUS Denis Samoylov
79 DF  RUS Rail Abdullin
84 DF  RUS Denis Firsov
88 FW  CIV Wilfried Eza
91 DF  RUS Ilya Yurin
92 MF  RUS Dmitry Yudin
93 GK  RUS Ilya Tuseyev
97 FW  RUS Aleksandr Chemasov

Out on loan

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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 Bogdan Rogochy (at Chayka Peschanokopskoye until 30 June 2026)
MF  RUS Denis Pokotylo (at Sibir Novosibirsk until 30 June 2026)
No. Pos. Nation Player
FW  RUS Vladimir Ulyanovsky (at Dynamo Vladivostok until 30 June 2026)

Reserve team

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References

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  1. ^ "История ФК "Челябинск"" [History of FC Chelyabinsk]. Футбольный клуб "Челябинск" - официальный сайт (FC-Chel.ru) (in Russian). 24 September 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  2. ^ ""Челябинск" вышел в Первую лигу, обыграв "Волгарь" в серии пенальти после переходных матчей" (in Russian). Sports.ru. 28 June 2025.
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