Shafa Football Club () is an Azerbaijani professional football club based in Baku. Founded in 1998, the club won the Azerbaijan Cup in 2000–01 before withdrawing from senior football in the mid-2000s amid financial difficulties. It was later revived and, competing in the second-tier Azerbaijan First League, won the 2025–26 title to earn promotion to the Azerbaijan Premier League.
History Early years Shafa was founded in 1998. The club won the 2000–01 Azerbaijan Cup, its first major honour. It later became inactive and spent a number of years out of competition.
Re-establishment and return to top flight On 16 June 2023, by a decision of the AFFA Executive Committee, Shafa was admitted to the Azerbaijan Second League. The newly appointed head coach, Elshad Mammadov, rebuilt the team around young players. In the same year, the club was acquired by MyGroup Holding, which restructured its organisation.
In the 2024–25 season, Shafa finished second in the Second League and won promotion to the Azerbaijan First League. The following season, the club won the 2025–26 First League title under head coach Elgiz Karamli, sealing the championship with a home win over Jabrayil and earning promotion to the Azerbaijan Premier League for the first time in its history. After promotion, Karamli left the club, having declined an offer to remain on the coaching staff, and Zaur Hashimov—previously a coach at Gabala and Zira—was appointed head coach for the club's Premier League campaign, assisted by a staff including Haji Ahmadov and Rauf Aliyev.
National Azerbaijan Cup Winners (1): 2000–2001
Domestic league and cup history Season League Azerbaijan Cup Top League goalscorer Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Name Total1998–991st12263518245414Quarter-finals Səbuhi Sadiqov Zaur Hashimov61999–20001st7228311223231Quarter-finals Ramin Nasibov42000–011st4201019272631Winners Elçin Rəhmanov42001–021st63214711413249Quarter-finals Zaur Tagizade122003–041st62612311402339Quarter-finals Sənan Qurbanov122004–051st1834Shafa Baku withdrew from the league during the winter break due to financial issues. Their remaining matches were awarded 3–0 to the opposition.2131169571/16 Amadi Luki4
European cup history Season Competition Round Country Club Home Away Aggregate2001/02UEFA Cup1Olimpija Ljubljana0–30–40–7
Squad
League records
Appearances Ran 1. Emin Imamaliev 91 2. Aftandil Hajiyev 86 Aykhan Abbasov 86 4. Ramin Nasibov 73 5. Namiq Əliyev 61 6. Mixail Kitelman 57 7. Ruslan Musayev 53 8. Səbuhi Sadiqov 45 9. Renat Abdaşov 44 10. Zaur Tagizade 42
Goals Rank Player Goals 1. Zaur Tagizade 16 2. Emin Imamaliev 15 3. Ramin Nasibov 14 4. Sənan Qurbanov 12 Ruslan Musayev 12 6. Samir Musayev 11 7. Səbuhi Sadiqov 9 8. Aftandil Hajiyev 7 9. Elçin Rəhmanov 5 Namiq Əliyev 5 Fuad Əliyev 5
Notable players Had international caps for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries while playing for Shafa. Azerbaijan
Murad Aghakishiyev Tarlan Ahmadov Elnur Allahverdiyev Ramin Guliyev Aftandil Hajiyev Zaur Hashimov Ramal Huseynov Emin Imamaliev Fizuli Mammedov Ruslan Musayev Samir Musayev Rashad Sadiqov Mahir Shukurov Zaur Tagizade Muhammed Mammadli
References