Football Club Istiklol () is a Tajik professional football club owned by Maldivian Conglomerate Maziya. Founded in 2007, the club competes in the Ligai Olii Tojikiston, the top flight of Tajik football league system. It was founded to commemorate the Independence of Tajikistan; Istiklol in Tajik Persian means 'independence'.
History
Early years (2007–2009) Istiklol Dushanbe was established in November 2007, under the Presidency of Shohruh Saidov. In 2008, Istiklol competed in the Dushanbe Group of the Second Division under head coach Kanoat Latifov, winning all 30 league games with a +154 goal difference and winning promotion to the Tajik League.
In 2009, in their debut in the Tajik League, led by new head coach Salohiddin Gafurov, the team finished fourth.Tajikistan 2009 at rsssf.org The team had some experienced players and some young players mostly from Tajikistan national under-17 football team that won bronze in AFC U-17 Championship 2006 and reached round 16 at 2007 FIFA U-17 World Championship, winning two trophies – the traditional winter-spring tournament Rustam Doltabaev and the Tajik Cup. Dilshod Vasiev scored the club's first Tajik League goal in their 2–0 victory over Ravshan Kulob on 4 April 2009.
2010s In 2010, under coach Alimzhon Rafikov the team won the Super Cup, the national cup and league. In the first Tajik Super Cup, defeating three-time national champion Vakhsh Qurghonteppa 2–0, following two goals from Dilshod Vasiev in extra time. In the final of the 2010 Tajik Cup, which traditionally takes place on 5 October – the birthday of the country's president Emomali Rahmon, Istiqlol with large score 5–0 defeated FK Khujand.Tajikistan 2010 at rsssf.org Following victory in the 2010 Tajik League, FC Istiqlol qualified for the first time for both the CIS Cup and the 2011 AFC President's Cup. On 20 March 2012, Istiklol's contract with Rafikov had expired at the end of the 2011 season and they had decided not to renew it, with Mubin Ergashev taking over in a caretaker capacity.
As of January 2014 the club's manager has been Mubin Ergashev.
On 22 November 2015, Manuel Bleda scored the club's 500th league goal. Istiklol's 4–2 victory over Barki Tajik on 17 April 2016, saw the club stretch their unbeaten run in the Tajik League to 40 games, with their last defeat occurring in November 2013 against Khayr Vahdat. During this run Istiklol have scored 146 goals, conceding just 17. Also, the team was qualified for the 2015 AFC Cup final against Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C. of Malaysia, in which both teams were the finalist for the first time in the competition. Istiklol were defeated by the team with the score of 1–0 on the home soil in Dushanbe.
On 10 July 2016, Istiklol fired their entire coaching staff, including manager Mubin Ergashev. Three days later, 13 July 2016, Istiklol announced Nikola Lazarevic as their new manager.
On 25 September 2016, Istiklol suffered their first League defeat since 3 November 2013, a stretch of 51 games, 2–1 away to Ravshan Kulob. On 29 October 2016, Istiklol defeated Barki Tajik 5–1, to claim their fifth Tajik League title. Two days later, 31 October 2016, Istiklol announced that they had appointed Mukhsin Mukhamadiev for the 2017 season. On 18 September 2017, Istiklol defeated Panjshir 5–0 to secure their sixth Tajik League title. On 18 October 2017, Istiklol drew 2–2 with Bengaluru in the second leg of their Inter-zone play-off final, progressing to the final of the AFC Cup for the second time in three seasons. On 4 November 2017, Istiklol were defeated 1–0 by Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya thanks to a second half Emad Mohsin goal.
After being knocked out of the 2018 AFC Cup at the group stage, manager Mukhsin Mukhamadiev resigned as manager six days later on 22 May 2018, with Alisher Tukhtaev being appointed as acting head coach.
On 3 December 2018, Khakim Fuzailov was announced as Istiklol's new manager. Fuzailov resigned as manager of Istiklol on 27 June 2019 after they failed to progress from the group stages of the AFC Cup, with Alisher Tukhtaev being appointed as Caretaker Manager in his place. On 27 September 2019, Istiklol beat Kuktosh 6–1, to secure their eighth Tajik League title. On 24 November 2019, Istiklol won 4–2 penalties to clinch their eighth Tajik Cup title.
2020s On 21 January 2020, Istiklol defeated Lokomotiv Tashkent 1–0, to win their first ever AFC Champions League match. After Mubin Ergashev took charge of Istiklol for their two AFC Champions League matches, Vitaly Levchenko was appointed as the club's new manager on 17 February 2020, with Alisher Tukhtaev returning to an assistants role.
On 10 September 2020, the 2020 AFC Cup was cancelled. 10 days later, 20 September 2020, Istiklol drew 1–1 with Khatlon to secure their ninth league title and seventh in a row.
On 13 April, Istiklol announced former manager Mubin Ergashev as their interim manager for their AFC Champions League group games due to having the required Pro Coaching License Vitaly Levchenko did not. Istiklol finished their first AFC Champions League group stage top of their group, which included Al Hilal, Shabab Al Ahli and AGMK, qualifying for the knockout stage where they faced Persepolis.
On 21 June 2021, Ryota Noma scored the club's 800th league goal. On 21 November 2021, Istiklol defeated Dushanbe-83 8–0 to secure their 10th league title, and 8th in a row. On 27 June 2022, Vitaly Levchenko and his coaching staff left Istiklol after their contracts expired, with Assistant Manager Alisher Tukhtaev being placed in interim charger.
On 29 October 2022, Alisher Tukhtaev guided Istiklol to their ninth Tajik Cup title with a 5–3 victory on penalties over Kuktosh Rudaki after the match finished 2–2. Six days later, 4 November 2022, Istiklol beat Khatlon 1–0 to secure their 11th Tajikistan Higher League title, and 9th in a row.
On 18 January 2023, Igor Cherevchenko was appointed as the new head coach of Istiklol on a one-year contract.
On 1 November 2023, Istiklol defeated Ravshan Kulob 4–2 on penalties in the 2023 Tajikistan Cup Final, after an initial 1–1 draw, to claim their 10th Tajikistan Cup title. A month later, on 1 December 2023, Istiklol defeated Kuktosh Rudaki 4–1 to secure their 10th league title in a row, and 12th overall. On 11 February 2024, Istiklol announced that Igor Cherevchenko, Yuri Baturenko, Alisher Tukhtaev and Lilia Sidorkina had all left the club after their contracts had expired. On 15 March 2024, Istiklol announced that Nikola Lazarevic had been appointed as their new head coach on a one-year contract.
On 19 June 2024, Ehson Panjshanbe scored the club's 1,000th league goal.
On 4 October 2024, Istiklol announced the return of Igor Cherevchenko as their head coach after Nikola Lazarevic had left his role as head coach in mid-September 2024. On 1 November 2024, Istiklol were crowned Champions of Tajikistan for the thirteenth time, after closest challengers Khujand were defeated 1–0 by Vakhsh Bokhtar.
On 8 December 2025, Istiklol secured their 14th Tajikistan title after a 1–1 draw with Vakhsh Bokhtar, and qualified for the 2026–27 AFC Challenge League in the process. On 29 December 2025, Istiklol announced that the contracts of Igor Cherevchenko and his coaching staff had expired and that they had left the club.
On 3 February 2026, Istiklol announced the appointment of Vitaly Levchenko as their new head coach on a contract until the end of 2026.
Sponsorship Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor2010–2012Li-Ning2013–2016JomaDushanbe International Airport2017–2019Avesto2020–Siyoma
Domestic history Season League Tajik Cup Top goalscorer Manager Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Name League20082nd1st3030001862890 -Khudoidod Nusratov85 Kanat Latifov20091st4th181134411836WinnerYusuf Rabiev14 Kanat Latifov Salohiddin Ghafurov20101st1st322660761784WinnerYusuf Rabiev30 Salohiddin Ghafurov Alimzhon Rafikov20111st1st40353213016108Runner-UpYusuf Rabiev32 Alimzhon Rafikov20121st3rd241653761353Runner-UpDilshod Vasiev24 Mubin Ergashev (Caretaker) Nikola Kavazović20131st2nd18141347846WinnerDilshod Vasiev10 Nikola Kavazović Oleg Shirinbekov20141st1st181620651050WinnerDilshod Vasiev15 Mubin Ergashev20151st1st18162069550WinnerManuchekhr Dzhalilov22 Mubin Ergashev20161st1st181431672045WinnerManuchekhr Dzhalilov22 Mubin Ergashev Nikola Lazarevic20171st1st211740641455Runner-UpDilshod Vasiev16 Mukhsin Mukhamadiev20181st1st211632361651WinnerSheriddin Boboev12 Mukhsin Mukhamadiev Alisher Tukhtaev (Caretaker)20191st1st211632611951WinnerSheriddin Boboev16 Khakim Fuzailov Alisher Tukhtaev (Caretaker)20201st1st181431611145QuarterfinalManuchekhr Dzhalilov16 Vitaly Levchenko20211st1st27215178968Runner-UpManuchekhr Dzhalilov18 Vitaly Levchenko20221st1st221462461348WinnerManuchekhr Dzhalilov16 Vitaly Levchenko Alisher Tukhtaev (Caretaker)20231st1st221642561252WinnerAlisher Dzhalilov13 Igor Cherevchenko20241st1st221921591159SemifinalManuchekhr Dzhalilov17 Nikola Kavazović Igor Cherevchenko20251st1st221552581850QuarterfinalRustam Soirov10 Igor Cherevchenko
Continental history
Competition Pld W D L GF GA AFC President's Cup 10 6 3 1 20 7 AFC Cup 42 19 10 13 69 55 AFC Champions League 22 5 4 13 21 33 AFC Champions League Two 12 3 0 9 8 25 AFC Challenge League 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 86 33 17 36 118 120 Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate2011AFC President's CupGroup B Jabal Al Mukaber 2–0 1st Yeedzin 8–0 Yadanarbon 1–1Final Stage Group A Taipower FC 0–2 3rd Balkan 1–12012AFC President's CupGroup C Markaz Shabab Al-Am'ari 1–0 1st Balkan 2–1Final Stage Group A Dordoi Bishkek 2–0 1st Phnom Penh Crown 1–1Final Markaz Shabab Al-Am'ari 2–12015AFC CupGroup C Qadsia 2–0 2–2 1st Ahal 5–2 2–1 Erbil 0–0 1–3Round of 16 Al-Wahda 1–1 (p)Quarter-finals Pahang 4–0 1–3 5–3Semi-finals Al-Kuwait w/o 0–4 w/oFinal Johor Darul Ta'zim 0–12016AFC CupGroup B Naft Al-Wasat 0–1 0–2 4th Al-Faisaly 0–0 2–4 Tripoli 1–3 0–12017AFC CupGroup D Altyn Asyr 1–0 1–1 1st Alay Osh 3–1 4–1 Dordoi Bishkek 2–0 4–1Inter-zone play-off semi-final Ceres Negros 4–0 1–1 5–1Inter-zone play-off final Bengaluru 1–0 2–2 3–2Final Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 0–12018AFC CupGroup D Alay Osh 1–0 3–2 2nd Altyn Asyr 2–3 2–2 Ahal 1–0 1–02019AFC Champions LeaguePreliminary round 2 AGMK 2–42019AFC CupGroup D Dordoi Bishkek 4–1 1–2 2nd Altyn Asyr 1–1 1–1 Khujand 3–0 2–32020AFC Champions LeaguePreliminary round 2 Lokomotiv Tashkent 1–0Play-off round Al-Ahli 0–12020AFC CupGroup D Dordoi Bishkek - Altyn Asyr Khujand 2–0 2021AFC Champions LeagueGroup A Al Hilal 4–1 1–3 1st Shabab al-Ahli 0–0 1–0 AGMK 1–2 3–2Round of 16 Persepolis 0–12022AFC Champions LeagueGroup A Al Hilal 0–3 0–1 4th Al-Rayyan 2–3 0–1 Sharjah 2–0 1–22023–24AFC Champions LeagueGroup E Persepolis 1–1 0–2 4th Al-Duhail 0–0 0–2 Al Nassr 1–1 1–32024–25AFC Champions League 2Group C Sepahan 0–2 0–4 4th Al-Wehdat 0–1 0–1 Sharjah 0–1 1–32025–26AFC Champions League 2Group D Al Nassr 0–4 0–5 3rd Al-Zawraa 2–1 1–2 Goa 2–0 2–12026–27AFC Challenge LeagueGroup B Al-Arabi Nejmeh Homs Al Fidaa
Controversy Istiklol was founded and is said to be owned by Rustam Emomali, the son and heir apparent of the president of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, who also served captain of the team until 2012. On 14 June 2011, an Istiklol victory after a disputed play was awarded to them by referees led to violent riots that saw 16 people injured and at least 20 arrested. In 2012, five players of rival team Ravshan Kulob were sanctioned with suspensions or fines for "unruly behavior" after defeating Istiklol 1–0.
Honours
Domestic Tajik League Winners (14): 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Tajikistan Cup Winners (10): 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 Tajik Supercup Winners (13): 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 2024, 2025 TFF Cup Winners (7): 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2025
Continental AFC Challenge League Winners (1): 2012 AFC Champions League Two