Sporting Clube Farense, simply known as Farense, is a Portuguese professional football club based in Faro in the district of the same name and the region of Algarve. Founded in 1910, the club currently plays in the Liga Portugal 2.

History Founded on 1 April 1910, it became the branch number 2 of Sporting Clube de Portugal (Sporting CP). Its main kit was inspired by the classic Sporting CP Stromp kit which was the main kit of the Lisbon-based team until 1928. In its entire history, the club has won nine major trophies: the AF Algarve Championship five times, the Segunda Divisão twice, and the Terceira Divisão and AF Algarve First and Second Divisions once each. Aside from its major trophies, the club as of 2013, has played 23 seasons in the Primeira Liga of which their highest league table classification came in the 1994–95 season where they managed a fifth-place finish.

On the back of that best-ever finish, Farense qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time, losing in the first round to Olympique Lyonnais by a single goal in each game.< The club also reached the final of the Taça de Portugal in 1990 where they lost to Estrela da Amadora. Among the mainstays of their 1990s teams were the Moroccan attacking duo of Hajry Redouane and Hassan Nader.

The 2001–02 season saw the club relegated to the second tier of Portuguese football. In 2006, the club was in the sixth tier, the second district league of the Algarve Football Association, but won two consecutive promotions as champions. In 2012–13 they were promoted to the Segunda Liga. In 2019–20, after the season was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the club were promoted back to the top flight after 18 years, under manager Sérgio Vieira. One year later, they were relegated on the final matchday after a 4–0 loss at C.D. Santa Clara.

On 3 February 2023, Farense sacked manager Vasco Faísca before a match against Estrela da Amadora, who had cut their advantage in second place to one point. His replacement José Mota led the club back to the Primeira Liga. He was fired after a poor start to the Primeira Liga and replaced by Tozé on September 25th, 2024.

Stadium

The Leões de Faro played at the Estádio de São Luís for 94 years from 1910. The club moved stadium in 2004 to the newly constructed Estádio Algarve which was built for the purpose of hosting matches at UEFA Euro 2004. The Faro side moved back to the Estádio de São Luís in 2013 after it gained promotion to the Segunda Liga. As a result of their promotion, the Estádio de São Luís underwent major renovations to improve its facilities.

Rivalries The club has rivalries with fellow Algarve clubs S.C. Olhanense and Portimonense S.C.

Players

Current squad

Out on loan

Notable former players Players that have played more than 50 league matches:

Bruno Alves Carlos Fernandes Hélder Baptista Hélder Rosário Jacques Pereira João Fajardo João Oliveira Pinto Jorge Jesus Jorge Martins Manuel Cajuda Manuel José Quim Ricardo Vaz Tê Rui Esteves Skoda Tozé Tulipa Zé Tó Nail Beširović Zé Carlos Marco Aurélio King Pelé Laurence Batty Peter Barnes Peter Eastoe Ted Kelton Agasson Dimitrios Konstantopoulos Ferenc Mészáros Hajry Redouane Hassan Nader Carlos Fumo Henry Makinwa Peter Rufai Uche Okafor Lucian Marinescu Ilshat Faizulin Ryan Gauld Dragan Punišić Goran Stevanović Milonja Đukić Tueba Menayane Perry Mutapa Zach Muscat

Statistics Most appearances

Rank Player Appearances Goals1 Hajry Redouane 292 332 Carlos Costa 273 233 Hassan Nader 246 994 Eugénio 244 45 Miguel Serôdio 214 36 Fabrício Isidoro 207 167 Luizão 197 108 Milonja Đukić 187 319 Sérgio Duarte 184 1110 Pitico 169 23

Top goalscorers

Rank Player Appearances Goals1 Hassan Nader 246 992 Mirobaldo 131 443 Christian Irobiso 151 344 Hajry Redouane 292 335 Milonja Đukić 187 316 Pedro Henrique 97 307 Farias 84 23 Pitico 169 23 Carlos Costa 273 2310 Fábio Gomes 61 22 Ademar 148 22

Managerial history

José Augusto (1987–1989) Malcolm Allison (1989) Paco Fortes (1989–1998) João Alves (1998–2000) Nicolau Vaqueiro (2000) Manuel Balela (Jun 14, 2000 – May 27, 2001) Alberto Pazos (Jun 7, 2001 – Nov 27, 2001) Hajry Redouane (Nov 28, 2001 – Dec 4, 2001) Jorge Castelo (Dec 4, 2001 – Mar 18, 2002) Paco Fortes (Mar 18, 2002 – Dec 3, 2002) Manuel Balela (Dec 4, 2002 – Mar 8, 2003) Hajry Redouane (Mar 8, 2003 – Jun 1, 2003) Manuel Balela (2003 –2004) Joaquim Sequeira (2004 – Jan 3, 2005) Manuel Balela (Jan 3, 2005 – May 5, 2005) Hassan Nader (May 5, 2005 – 2006) Carlos Costa (Sep 30, 2006 – Feb 4, 2008) Jorge Portela (Feb 6, 2008 – Aug 31, 2008) Ivo Soares (Sep 2, 2008 – Nov 18, 2008) António Barão (Nov 18, 2008 – Jun 7, 2009) Edinho (Jul 16, 2009 – Dec 22, 2009) Rui Esteves (Dec 22, 2009 – Mar 16, 2010) Joaquim Mendes (Mar 16, 2010 – Nov 29, 2010) Joaquim Sequeira (Nov 29, 2010 – Dec 29, 2010) João de Deus (Jan 2, 2011 – Apr 30, 2011) Manuel Balela (2011 – May 30, 2012) Bruno Ribeiro (June 2, 2012 – Jan 15, 2013) Mauro de Brito (Jan 2013 – Sept 9, 2013) Jorge Paixão (Sept 13, 2013 – Feb 25, 2014) Antero Afonso (Feb 25, 2014 – Jun 2, 2014) Pedro Correia (Jun 2, 2014 – Nov 24, 2014) Abel Xavier (Dec 2, 2014 – May 28, 2015) Jorge Paixão (Jun 6, 2015 – Dec 14, 2015) Horácio Gonçalves (Dec 14, 2015 – Apr 7, 2016) Antero Afonso (Apr 7, 2016 – Jul 22, 2016) Lázaro Oliveira (Jul 22, 2016 – Apr 3, 2017) Rui Duarte (Apr 3, 2017 – Feb 5, 2019) Álvaro Magalhães (Fev 5, 2019 – May 22, 2019) Sérgio Vieira (May 22, 2019 – Feb 1, 2021) Jorge Costa (Feb 4, 2021 – Aug 30, 2021) Fanã (Aug 31, 2021 – Dec 19, 2021) Vasco Faísca (Dec 19, 2021 – Feb 6, 2023) José Mota (Feb 6, 2023 – Sep 24, 2024) Tozé (Sep 25, 2024;– May 29, 2025) Silas (Jul 1, 2025;– )

Honours Segunda Divisão: 1939–40, 1982–83 Terceira Divisão: 2011–12 AF Algarve Championship: 1914–15, 1917–18, 1933–34, 1935–36, 1937–38 AF Algarve First Division: 2007–08 AF Algarve Second Division: 2006–07

Youth honours AF Algarve U23 Championship: 2020–21 AF Algarve Juniores B First Division (U17): 2018–19, 2019–20 AF Algarve Juniores C First Division (U15): 2012–2013

European cup history Q = Qualifying PO = Play-off UEFA Cup Season Round Country Club Home Away Aggregate1995–96R1Olympique Lyonnais0–10–10–2

League and cup history Season Tier Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA PCupLeague CupNotes1989–9021342554802355Runners-upPromoted1990–911113814618464734Round 61991–921634121111353335Round 51992–931634111310413635Round 51993–94183413714444633Round 41994–95153416513443837Round 61995–961133410618364536Round 61996–9711134101212343442Round 41997–981143481313415037Round 41998–991113410915395439Round 51999–20001143481115356035Round 52000–011133410915374739Round 62001–02117387720296328Round 5Relegated2002–0321234111112323244Round 4Relegated2003–043143411815414941Round 32004–054143411815414941Round 12005–064––––––––Round 1Relegated2006–0761312461721578Promoted2007–0851302244732070Promoted2008–0944261268403542Round 12009–104422994312236Round 1Promoted2010–113123081210283736Round 3Relegated2011–1241221750521756Round 1Promoted2012–1331301983382165Round 4Promoted2013–1421042151215454457Round 3Round 22014–1521146161416515462Round 2Round 12015–1622046151120495654Round 4Round 1Relegated2016–1733321886542262Round 32017–1832352843741881Round 6Promoted2018–1921034111013393543Round 3Round 22019–2022241536352248Round 4Round 1Promoted, LigaPro suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal2020–211173471017 314831Round 3Relegated2021–222 1134101113404241Round 4Round 22022–232 2332067543366Round 4Group StagePromoted

References

External links