Fotbal Club Zimbru Chișinău, commonly known as Zimbru Chișinău or simply Zimbru, is a Moldovan professional association football club based in Chișinău, which competes in the Moldovan Liga, the highest tier of Moldovan football.

Founded in the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1947, the club entered the Soviet Top League in 1956 and totalled eleven participations before their last relegation in 1983. The club remained the leader of Moldavian football during most of the Soviet period and was the only one that reached and played at the Soviet top tier. After the independence of Moldova in 1991, the team established itself as an early force in the country, winning all the first five national titles and eight of the first nine, but have not won since.

Zimbru play their home matches at the 10,104-seater Zimbru Stadium.

History

Zimbru Chișinău was formed in 1947 in the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (present day Moldova). 'Zimbru' is a Romanian word for European bison, but the club also previously functioned under names such as Dinamo, Burevestnik, Moldova, Avântul, and Nistru. The Soviet Era was spent mostly in Class B of the regional league until eventual promotion to Class A. The club then flitted between Class A and Class B as well as spending time in the Soviet Top League and First League. In total, Zimbru spent 11 seasons in the Top League between 1956 and 1983. Zimbru had their biggest success in 1956 when they finished in 6th place out of 12 in the Soviet Top League and in 1963 when they reached the quarter-finals of the Soviet Cup.zimbru.md

Zimbru's fortunes changed after the fall of the USSR and the establishment of the Republic of Moldova. The club won all five of the initial seasons of the Moldovan National League (1992–96), and apart from finishing as runners-up to Chișinău rivals Constructorul Chișinău in 1996–97, won eight of the first nine championships. Zimbru have also won the Moldovan Cup six times, including a double in 1997–98 and the Moldovan Super Cup once.

Crest and colours Since its foundation, Zimbru's colours always was yellow and green. Throughout history, Zimbru Chișinău had many logos. Traditional colours were always present on club crests.

Stadium

FC Zimbru's home ground is Zimbru Stadium, a football-specific stadium in Botanica sector of Chișinău. It was opened in 2006. The stadium has a natural grass playing surface, and its capacity is 10,104.

Rivalries In the 1990s (the first decade of Moldova's independence), Zimbru's rival was Constructorul, the other team from Chișinău, until the club relocated to Cioburciu in 2001. Another rivalry was established in the mid-2000s when Dacia Chișinău, another team from Chișinău, became one of Moldova's top teams. However, Dacia Chișinău ceased to exist in 2018. The match between them was known as "The Derby of the capital" ().publika.md In 1997, a new team was founded in Tiraspol, Sheriff Tiraspol. In a few years, Sheriff was promoted to the top league and became a force in Moldovan football. Considering the strength of team and the tensions between Moldova and Transnistria, the match between Zimbru and Sheriff became a derby, the most important match in country. Thus, it has been named "Derby of Moldova", being labelled even as "Moldovan El Clasico" ().publika.mdprime.md

Player of the year Zimbru players who received the award Moldovan Footballer of the Year: YearWinner1992 Alexandru Spiridon1993 Alexandru Curtianu1994 Serghei Cleșcenco1995 Ion Testemițanu1997 Ion Testemițanu1999 Sergiu Epureanu2002 Boris Cebotari

Squad

Honours

Moldova Moldovan Liga Winners (8): 1992, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000 Moldovan Cup Winners (6): 1996–97, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2013–14 Moldovan Super Cup Winners (1): 2014

Soviet Union Soviet First League (level 2) Winners (1): 1955 Soviet Second League (level 3) Winners (1): 1988

League history

Table Season Tier Pos Pld W D L GF GA PtsCupSuper CupEuropeTop scorer (league)19921st1st221552401535Quarter-finals—— Alexandru Spiridon Iurie Miterev – 81992–931st302262661750Round of 16—— Alexandru Spiridon – 121993–941st302523862252Semi-finals—UCL PR Serghei Cleșcenco – 141994–951st262141691067Runners-up—UCPR Serghei Cleșcenco – 111995–961st3026311101181Quarter-finals—UC2R Vladislav Gavriliuc – 341996–972nd3022441122170 Winners—UCPR Iurie Miterev – 341997–981st26223175869Winners—UCWCQR Serghei Cleșcenco – 251998–991st26187143961Quarter-finals—UCL 1Q Vladislav Gavriliuc – 101999–001st362574782182Runners-up—UCLUC3Q1R Victor Berco – 152000–012nd 2820624615 66Semi-finals—UCLUC3Q1R Iurie Miterev – 82001–023rd2812106522046 Semi-finals—UCQR Victor Berco – 122002–032nd241554472050 Winners—UC1R Vladimir Shishelov – 132003–043rd281477402349 WinnersRunners-upUC1R Vladimir Shishelov – 152004–055th 281279291543 Quarter-finalsRunners-up— Sergiu Chirilov – 72005–062nd281585472053Semi-finals—— Sergiu Chirilov – 112006–072nd362187632371Winners—UC2Q Alexei Zhdanov – 142007–085th3013134432152Semi-finalsRunners-upUC1Q Alexei Zhdanov – 122008–094th 30137104230 46Semi-finals—— Oleg Andronic – 162009–104th3317884729 59Quarter-finals—UEL2Q Andrei Secrieru – 72010–114th39221075620 76Round of 16—— Oleg Andronic – 92011–123rd33171064724 61Quarter-finals—— Oleg Molla – 142012–136th 331210115338 46Quarter-finals—UEL2Q Oleg Molla – 72013–144th3318785624 61Winners—— Sergey Tsyganov – 132014–156th24 7 6 11 23 19 27 Quarter-finals WinnersUELPO Alexandru Dedov – 42015–163rd27 15 4 8 42 26 49 Quarter-finals —— Rui Miguel – 92016–175th30 13 7 10 32 29 46 Semi-finals —UEL2Q Hugo Neto – 620178th 18 5 4 9 17 21 19 Runners-up—— Jean Theodoro – 520185th28 9 9 10 28 37 36 Semi-finals—— Ilie Damașcan Ion Nicolaescu – 520197th 28 3 7 18 16 43 16 Quarter-finals—— Dan Pîslă – 52020–218th36 6 7 23 39 63 25 Round of 16—— Artur Pătraș – 102021–227th28 7 6 15 32 46 27 Quarter-finals—— Eugen Sidorenco – 52022–233rd24 7 10 7 27 26 31 Quarter-finals —— Alexandru Dedov – 82023–243rd24 13 3 8 33 23 42 Runners-up—UECL2Q João Paulino Emmanuel Alaribe – 72024–253rd24 14 3 7 54 25 45Semi-finals —UECL2Q Justice Ohajunwa Vlad Răileanu – 82025–263rd31 18 8 5 70 32 62Runners-up—UECL2Q Dzianis Kazlouski – 20

European record

Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate 1993–94 UEFA Champions League PR Beitar Jerusalem1–10–2 1–3 1994–95 UEFA Cup PR Kispest Honvéd0–11–4 1–51995–96UEFA Cup PR Hapoel Tel Aviv2–00–0 2–0 1R RAF Jelgava1–02–1 3–1 2R Sparta Prague0–23–4 3–6 1996–97 UEFA Cup PR Hajduk Split0–41–2 1–6 1997–98 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup QR Shakhtar Donetsk1–10–3 1–4 1998–99 UEFA Champions League 1Q Újpest1–01–3 2–31999–00UEFA Champions League 1Q St Patrick's Athletic5–05–0 10–0 2Q Dinamo Tbilisi2–01–2 3–2 3Q PSV Eindhoven0–00–2 0–2 UEFA Cup 1R Tottenham Hotspur0–00–3 0–32000–01UEFA Champions League 1Q Tirana3–23–2 6–4 2Q Maribor2–00–1 2–1 3Q Sparta Prague0–10–1 0–2 UEFA Cup 1R Hertha Berlin1–20–2 1–4 2001–02 UEFA Cup QR Gaziantepspor0–01–4 1–42002–03UEFA Cup QR Göteborg3–12–2 5–3 1R Real Betis0–21–2 1–42003–04UEFA Cup QR Litex Lovech2–00–0 2–0 1R Aris1–11–2 2–32006–07UEFA Cup 1Q Qarabağ1–1 3–2 2Q Metalurh Zaporizhya0–00–3 0–3 2007–08 UEFA Cup 1Q Artmedia Petržalka2–21–1 3–3 (a)2009–10UEFA Europa League 1Q Okzhetpes1–22–0 3–2 2Q Paços de Ferreira0–00–1 0–12012–13UEFA Europa League 1Q Bangor City2–10–0 2–1 2Q Young Boys0–1 1–1 (1–4 p)2014–15UEFA Europa League 1Q Shkëndija2–01–2 3–2 2Q CSKA Sofia0–01–1 1–1 (a) 3Q Grödig0–12–1 2–2 (a) PO PAOK1–00–4 1–42016–17UEFA Europa League 1Q Chikhura Sachkhere0–13–2 3–3 (a) 2Q Osmanlıspor2–20–5 2–72023–24 1Q La Fiorita1–01–1 2–1 2Q Fenerbahçe0–40–5 0–9 2024–25 UEFA Conference League 2Q Ararat-Armenia0–31–3 1–6 2025–26 UEFA Conference League 2Q Astana0–21–1 1–32026–27UEFA Conference League2Q Noah1–11–2 2–3

Club officials

Technical staff

As of 27 June 2026

RoleName Head coach Oleksandr Poklonskyi Assistant coach Oleksandr Alimov Goalkeeping coach Serhii Yakovets Fitness coach Gheorghe Codița Fitness coach Tudor Iapără Physiotherapist Andrei Varvarici Coach analyst Oleksii Bilorukavyi Masseur Petru Caraman Club doctor Ivan Țînpeu Administrator Sergiu Buga

Club management As of 27 June 2026

RoleName Owner Nicolae Ciornîi President Andriy Semenchuk Head of football operations Emil Pisarenco General director Sergiu Topor Sporting director Alexei Popa Technical director Oleg Istrati Community officer Ion Jalbă Press officer Galina Tretyak

Former players

Former managers

References

External links

Team profile at Soccerway Zimbru Chișinău at WeltFussballArchiv. . Zimbru Chișinău supporters website – "OASTEA FIARĂ" Team profile at footballfacts.ru