FK Jelgava is a
LatviaLatvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n
footballAssociation football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club that is based in
Jelgava-Sports:The city's main football team, FK Jelgava, plays in the Latvian Higher League and won the 2009/2010 Latvian Football Cup.- Notable people :*August Johann Gottfried Bielenstein - linguist, folklorist, ethnographer...
. Its best results came when the team was named
RAF Jelgava.
Automobīlists Jelgava
The car factory club Automobīlists played in the lower Latvian leagues in the early 1970s, but in the mid 1970s were renamed Metālists.
Metālists Jelgava
The club first appeared in 1977 and in their debut season in the Latvian league finished 7th out of 13 teams. After three less than stellar seasons the club changed owners – it was attached again to the bus factory and renamed to
Automobīlists Jelgava.
Automobīlists Jelgava
As Automobīlists the Jelgava squad also had it hard – at best it finished seasons in the middle of the table, and between 1983 and 1987 it played in the 1st league. In 1987 Automobīlists lost to
Zemgale IlūksteFK Ilūkste/BJSS is a Latvian football club located in Ilūkste and playing in the 1. līga. In 2006 season they won 2.līga and promoted to 1. līga. On August 13, 2007, they withdrew from 1. līga.-History:...
for a place in Virslīga but as the league was expanded under the name of RAF,
Jelgava-Sports:The city's main football team, FK Jelgava, plays in the Latvian Higher League and won the 2009/2010 Latvian Football Cup.- Notable people :*August Johann Gottfried Bielenstein - linguist, folklorist, ethnographer...
once again had a club in the top Latvian league.
RAF Jelgava
In 1988 and 1989 there were two teams of RAF Jelgava which in 1990 merged into one. One of those played in the lower Soviet leagues, the other – in the Latvian league. In 1988 and 1989 under the management of
Viktors ŅesterenkoViktors Ņesterenko is a Latvian football coach and former footballer.-Playing biography:Ņesterenko was born in Ukraine and played football there with the reserves of FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk. At the age of Ņesterenko was invited to move to Riga, Latvia, for studies. In 1971, Ņesterenko joined...
the "local" RAF won the Latvian league, in 1988 as a golden double it also won the Latvian Cup. Meanwhile the "international" RAF weren't doing that well – although they had in its squad several talented young players including
Vladimirs BabičevsVladimirs Babičevs is a Latvian football manager and a former footballer. Babičevs played in a 51 international match for Latvia.-Club playing career:...
,
Dzintars SproģisDzintars Sproģis is a former Latvian football defender. Sproģis was recognized as the best defender in the first season of Virslīga.-Playing biography:...
,
Igors TroickisIgors Troickis is a former football defender from Latvia. He obtained a total number of 41 caps for the Latvia national team between 1992 and 2001. His last club was FK Rīga. Troickis also played as a professional in Russia during his career.-Honours:* Baltic Cup :** 1993* Latvian Champion :*1993,...
and Aleksandrs Stradiņš, its results were very disappointing. In 1989 Ņesterenko took over the unified RAF team in the Soviet league and in the Baltic league. In 1990 and 1991 the team played better, but then the Soviet Union collapsed and RAF joined the Latvian
Virslīga-Past Virslīga winners:-Top scorers:-Riga football league winners:* 1910 Union Riga* 1911 British FC Riga* 1912 Union Riga* 1913 British FC Riga* 1914 British FC Riga* 1915 British FC Riga-Champions of Latvia before Virslīga:* 1922 Ķeizarmežs...
.
In the early 1990s RAF was one of the strongest teams in
Virslīga-Past Virslīga winners:-Top scorers:-Riga football league winners:* 1910 Union Riga* 1911 British FC Riga* 1912 Union Riga* 1913 British FC Riga* 1914 British FC Riga* 1915 British FC Riga-Champions of Latvia before Virslīga:* 1922 Ķeizarmežs...
, three times finishing second and once third (in 1992 they finished runners up to Skonto Rīga in an additional game after finishing the season on equal points). However, when the plant ran into financial difficulties, the team received new sponsorship from the
University of LatviaUniversity of Latvia is a university located in Riga, Latvia. Being established in 1919, University of Latvia is the biggest university in the Baltic states.-History:...
in 1996 and, as a result, changed their name and relocated to Riga, and played in the Latvian University Stadium.
RAF Rīga
As
RAF Rīga the club only played one season, finishing 5th in the Latvian league, however it won the 1996 Latvian Cup. But after the season the club changed its name again – this time to
Universitāte Rīga.
Universitāte Rīga
The only season under the name of Universitāte didn't bring much success to the club – 6th place in the league with the club being disbanded after the season.
RAF Jelgava (again)
A team under the name RAF Jelgava appeared again in 2001 in the
1. līga1. Liga is the third-highest ice hockey league in Switzerland, behind Nationalliga A and Nationalliga B. Thirty-six teams compete in three divisions – East Switzerland, Central Switzerland and West Switzerland.-East Switzerland:*EHC Arosa*GDT Bellinzona...
. After the 2003 season the club merged with another Jelgava club – FK Viola Jelgava forming FK Jelgava.
FK Jelgava
FK Jelgava has played since their foundation in 2004 in the
1. līgaThe Latvian First League is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. From the 2007 season, the tournament has been known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its sponsorship by the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.-Format:There are 14 clubs in...
, but in 2009 after winning the Latvian First League the team had the chance to play their first games in the Virslīga.
On 19 May 2010 FK Jelgava won the Latvian Cup final in Skonto Stadium, beating FK Jūrmala-VV 6:5 in a penalty shoot out after the game had finished 0:0.
On the way to the final, the club beat FK Liepājas Metalurgs in the quarter-finals and
Skonto FCSkonto FC is a Latvian football club, founded in 1991. The club plays at the Skonto Stadium in Riga. Skonto won the Virsliga in the first 14 seasons of the league's existence , and often provides the core of the Latvia national football team...
in the semi-finals.
Victory in the Latvian Cup final allowed FK Jelgava to debut in the UEFA Europa League tournament. In the second qualifying round FK Jelgava played Molde FK from
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. With a score of 2:2 on aggregate, Molde won on away goals.
In the 2010 season Jelgava was the only Latvian football club which won a game in
European footballEuropean football is a colloquial term referring to any international football club competition that is organised by UEFA. Any club that wishes to participate in European football must qualify through their respective domestic league or domestic cup competitions...
tournaments (2:1 against Molde).
On 2 September 2010 FK Jelgava played a friendly against Premier League club Blackpool. The match marked the opening of the Olympic Sports Center of Zemgale. The President of Latvia
Valdis ZatlersValdis Zatlers is a Latvian politician and former physician who served as the seventh president of Latvia from 2007 to 2011. He won the Latvian presidential election of 31 May 2007...
and the British Ambassador in Latvia attended the game.
Latvia
- Latvian Higher League
- Runners-Up: 1992, 1994, 1995
- Latvian Cup
- Winners: (3 record) 1993, 1996, 2009-10
Latvian Football Cup 2009–10 was the sixty-eighth season of the Latvian annual football knock-out competition. For the first time the cup season switched from calendar year to fall/spring season...
Latvian SSR
- Latvian SSR Higher League
- Winner: (2) 1988
-League standings:-References:*...
, 1989-League standings:-References:*...
- Latvian Cup
Soviet Union
RAF Jelgava
| Season |
Division (Name) |
Pos./Teams |
Pl. |
W |
D |
L |
GS |
GA |
P |
Soviet Cup The Soviet Cup, or USSR Cup , was the premier football cup competition in the Soviet Union.-Finals:-Performance by club:-Performance by republic:-References:*, rsssf.com. Accessed on 16 May 2006....
|
| 1988 The Soviet Second League B was an auxiliary tier of the Soviet league system, because it was not consistent as it existed only for six seasons and somewhat randomly...
|
4th (Soviet Second League B The Soviet Second League B was an auxiliary tier of the Soviet league system, because it was not consistent as it existed only for six seasons and somewhat randomly...
) |
18/(18) |
34 |
5 |
5 |
24 |
43 |
6 |
15 |
Did not participate |
| 1989 The Soviet Second League B was an auxiliary tier of the Soviet league system, because it was not consistent as it existed only for six seasons and somewhat randomly...
|
4th (Soviet Second League B The Soviet Second League B was an auxiliary tier of the Soviet league system, because it was not consistent as it existed only for six seasons and somewhat randomly...
) |
18/(22) |
42 |
10 |
9 |
23 |
38 |
61 |
29 |
Did not participate |
| 1990 The Soviet Second League B was an auxiliary tier of the Soviet league system, because it was not consistent as it existed only for six seasons and somewhat randomly...
|
4th (Soviet Second League B The Soviet Second League B was an auxiliary tier of the Soviet league system, because it was not consistent as it existed only for six seasons and somewhat randomly...
) |
4/(17) |
35 |
17 |
9 |
6 |
54 |
25 |
43 |
Did not participate |
| 1991 The Soviet Second League B was an auxiliary tier of the Soviet league system, because it was not consistent as it existed only for six seasons and somewhat randomly...
|
4th (Soviet Second League B The Soviet Second League B was an auxiliary tier of the Soviet league system, because it was not consistent as it existed only for six seasons and somewhat randomly...
) |
3/(22) |
42 |
28 |
6 |
8 |
71 |
39 |
62 |
Did not participate |
Baltic
RAF Jelgava
| Season |
Division (Name) |
Pos./Teams |
Pl. |
W |
D |
L |
GS |
GA |
P |
| 1990 |
1st (Baltic League) |
8/(17) |
32 |
13 |
10 |
9 |
44 |
37 |
36 |
Latvian SSR
Metālists Jelgava
| Season |
Division (Name) |
Pos./Teams |
Pl. |
W |
D |
L |
GS |
GA |
P |
Latvian Football Cup The Latvian Football Cup is the main "knockout" cup competition in Latvian football. It started in 1937 replacing the previous knockout tournament – Riga Football Cup.The competition is a knockout tournament....
|
| 1977 -League standings:-References:*...
|
1st (Latvian SSR Higher League -League standings:-References:*...
) |
7/(13) |
24 |
9 |
5 |
10 |
42 |
33 |
23 |
|
| 1978 -League standings:-References:*...
|
1st (Latvian SSR Higher League -League standings:-References:*...
) |
10/(14) |
26 |
6 |
6 |
14 |
30 |
39 |
18 |
|
| 1979 -League standings:-References:*...
|
1st (Latvian SSR Higher League -League standings:-References:*...
) |
11/(14) |
26 |
8 |
8 |
10 |
29 |
31 |
24 |
|
Automobīlists Jelgava
| Season |
Division (Name) |
Pos./Teams |
Pl. |
W |
D |
L |
GS |
GA |
P |
Latvian Football Cup The Latvian Football Cup is the main "knockout" cup competition in Latvian football. It started in 1937 replacing the previous knockout tournament – Riga Football Cup.The competition is a knockout tournament....
|
| 1980 -League standings:-References:*...
|
1st (Latvian SSR Higher League -League standings:-References:*...
) |
7/(16) |
30 |
9 |
11 |
10 |
40 |
38 |
29 |
|
| 1981 -League standings:-References:*...
|
1st (Latvian SSR Higher League -League standings:-References:*...
) |
12/(16) |
22 |
6 |
6 |
10 |
27 |
39 |
18 |
|
| 1982 -League standings:-References:*...
|
1st (Latvian SSR Higher League -League standings:-References:*...
) |
11/(14) |
26 |
7 |
3 |
16 |
22 |
65 |
17 |
|
| 1983 -League standings:-References:*...
|
1st (Latvian SSR Higher League -League standings:-References:*...
) |
11/(14) |
26 |
7 |
3 |
16 |
22 |
65 |
22 |
|
RAF Jelgava
| Season |
Division (Name) |
Pos./Teams |
Pl. |
W |
D |
L |
GS |
GA |
P |
Latvian Football Cup The Latvian Football Cup is the main "knockout" cup competition in Latvian football. It started in 1937 replacing the previous knockout tournament – Riga Football Cup.The competition is a knockout tournament....
|
| 1988 -League standings:-References:*...
|
1st (Latvian SSR Higher League -League standings:-References:*...
) |
1/(16) |
30 |
19 |
11 |
0 |
69 |
18 |
49 |
Winner |
| 1989 -League standings:-References:*...
|
1st (Latvian SSR Higher League -League standings:-References:*...
) |
1/(17) |
31 |
22 |
7 |
2 |
72 |
26 |
51 |
|
| Season |
Division (Name) |
Pos./Teams |
Pl. |
W |
D |
L |
GS |
GA |
P |
Latvian Football Cup The Latvian Football Cup is the main "knockout" cup competition in Latvian football. It started in 1937 replacing the previous knockout tournament – Riga Football Cup.The competition is a knockout tournament....
|
2004The Latvian First League is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. From the 2007 season, the tournament has been known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its sponsorship by the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.-Format:There are 14 clubs in...
|
2nd (1.līgaThe Latvian First League is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. From the 2007 season, the tournament has been known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its sponsorship by the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.-Format:There are 14 clubs in...
) |
11/(14) |
26 |
7 |
5 |
14 |
43 |
69 |
26 |
1/16 finals |
2005The Latvian First League is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. From the 2007 season, the tournament has been known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its sponsorship by the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.-Format:There are 14 clubs in...
|
2nd (1.līgaThe Latvian First League is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. From the 2007 season, the tournament has been known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its sponsorship by the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.-Format:There are 14 clubs in...
) |
11/(14) |
26 |
8 |
2 |
16 |
43 |
59 |
26 |
1/8 finals |
2006The Latvian First League is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. From the 2007 season, the tournament has been known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its sponsorship by the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.-Format:There are 14 clubs in...
|
2nd (1.līgaThe Latvian First League is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. From the 2007 season, the tournament has been known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its sponsorship by the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.-Format:There are 14 clubs in...
) |
9/(16) |
26 |
12 |
6 |
12 |
53 |
49 |
42 |
1/8 finals |
2007The Latvian First League is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. From the 2007 season, the tournament has been known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its sponsorship by the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.-Format:There are 14 clubs in...
|
2nd (1.līgaThe Latvian First League is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. From the 2007 season, the tournament has been known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its sponsorship by the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.-Format:There are 14 clubs in...
) |
5/(16) |
30 |
16 |
6 |
8 |
70 |
43 |
54 |
2nd Round |
2008The Latvian First League is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. From the 2007 season, the tournament has been known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its sponsorship by the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.-Format:There are 14 clubs in...
|
2nd (1.līgaThe Latvian First League is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. From the 2007 season, the tournament has been known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its sponsorship by the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.-Format:There are 14 clubs in...
) |
4/(15) |
28 |
19 |
3 |
6 |
63 |
41 |
60 |
1/8 finals |
2009The Latvian First League is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. From the 2007 season, the tournament has been known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its sponsorship by the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.-Format:There are 14 clubs in...
|
2nd (1.līgaThe Latvian First League is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. From the 2007 season, the tournament has been known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its sponsorship by the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.-Format:There are 14 clubs in...
) |
1/(14) |
26 |
19 |
5 |
2 |
57 |
20 |
62 |
Winner |
| 2010 |
1st (Virsliga) |
6/(10) |
27 |
6 |
7 |
14 |
36 |
45 |
25 |
1/4 finals |
| 2011 The 2011 Latvian Higher League is the 20th season of top-tier football in Latvia. It began on 15 April 2011 with the first round of games. Skonto FC are the defending champions, having won their 15th league title the previous season....
|
1st (Virsliga) |
6/(10) |
32 |
13 |
4 |
15 |
47 |
54 |
43 |
1/4 finals |
| Season |
Competition |
Round |
|
Home |
Away |
Aggregate |
| 1993/94 |
UEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
|
PrR |
RAF Jelgava v HB Tórshavn  |
1–0 |
0–3 |
1–3 |
| 1995/96 |
UEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
|
PrR |
RAF Jelgava v Afan Lido F.C. Afan Lido F.C. is a football team based in Aberavon playing in the Welsh Premier League.-History:The club was founded in 1967, and they play at the Marston Stadium, Aberavon, which accommodates 4200 spectators .-Current squad:...
 |
0–0 |
2–1 |
2–1 |
|
|
1QR |
RAF Jelgava v FC Zimbru Chişinău FC Zimbru Chişinău is a Moldovan football club based in Chişinău, Moldova. They play in the Divizia Naţională, the top division in Moldovan football.-History:...
 |
1–2 |
0–1 |
1–3 |
| 1996/97 |
UEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
|
QR |
FC Universitate Riga v FC VaduzFC Vaduz is a Liechtenstein football club from Vaduz, that play in the Swiss Football League. The club plays at the national Rheinpark Stadion, which has a capacity of 6,127 when all seated but has additional standing places in the North and South ends of the ground, giving a total stadium capacity...
 |
1–1 |
1–1 (aet) |
2–2 (p) |
| 1997 |
UEFA Intertoto CupThe UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
|
GS |
FC Universitate Riga v İstanbulspor  |
1–5 |
|
|
|
|
GS |
FC Universitate Riga v Vasas SCVasas SC is one of Hungary's major sports clubs. Most of its facilities are situated in Budapest's 13th district in the north of the town. Members of the Hungarian Union of Iron Workers founded the club as Vas-és Fémmunkások Sport Clubja, the "Sport Club of Iron and Steel Workers", on 16 March 1911...
 |
|
0–3 |
|
|
|
GS |
FC Universitate Riga v Werder Bremen  |
0–3 |
|
|
|
|
GS |
FC Universitate Riga v Östers IF Östers IF is a Swedish football club located in Växjö. The club, formed 20 April 1930 , is currently playing in the second Swedish league called Superettan. In 1968, Öster won Allsvenskan as newcomers. The club is affiliated to the Smålands Fotbollförbund...
 |
|
1–2 |
|
| 2010/11 |
UEFA Europa League |
2QR |
FK Jelgava v Molde FK  |
2–1 |
0–1 |
2–2 (a) |