Sport Club Popești-Leordeni, commonly known as SC Popești-Leordeni or simply Popești-Leordeni, is a Romanian football club based in Popești-Leordeni, Ilfov County, which currently competes in Liga II, the second tier of Romanian football.
Founded in 2011 as CS Popești-Leordeni, the club, located near Bucharest, merged in 2013 with newly promoted side Gloria Cornești, taking its place in Liga III under the name Gloria Popești-Leordeni. It was renamed SC Popești-Leordeni in 2016 and, after thirteen consecutive seasons in the third tier, achieved its first-ever promotion to Liga II after winning the promotion play-offs in 2026.
History The club was founded in 2011 under the name Club Sportiv Popești-Leordeni, with the aim of reviving senior football in the town following the dissolution in 2009 of Inter Gaz București and Viscofil Popești-Leordeni. The initiative was led by Petre Iacob, the future mayor of Popești-Leordeni, alongside Liviu Mirea and Petre Tănase, with the newly formed team being composed exclusively of local players.
The team was enrolled in Liga V Ilfov County, the fifth tier of the Romanian football league system and the second level of county football. In its debut season, under head coach Petre Pașculea, the White and Reds won the competition and secured promotion to Liga IV Ilfov County.
In the 2012–13 season, the team moved to the newly renovated Inter Gaz Stadium, with Petre Pașculea serving as technical director. The team was coached by Aurel Ungureanu until April 2013, when, following a short interim spell under Nicolae Laicu, former Romanian international Adrian Iencsi was appointed head coach, leading the team to a 2nd place finish both in the regular season and after the county play-off. The squad included among others Ed. Voicu, C. Nicolae, Popică, Moldoveanu, Țane, N. Dumitru, Oancea, C. Cristea, Zaharia, Nicolescu, C. Ene, Bernard, Șt. Alexandru, R. Gheorghe, Stoican, Ov. Dumitrescu, M. Ștefan, B. Nicu and Ciubeică.
However, in 2013, the club merged with Gloria Cornești, a newly promoted side from Liga IV Dâmbovița County, taking its place in Liga III under the name Gloria Popești-Leordeni and appointing Sorin Colceag as the new head coach. Competing in Series II, Gloria finished 5th in the regular season and qualified for the play-off round, where it ended the 2013–14 campaign in 6th place. Colceag left the Ilfov-based side during the summer break to join top-flight club Universitatea Cluj as an assistant coach and was replaced by Tudorel Stanciu, who guided the team to a 7th-place finish in the 2014–15 season.
During the winter break of the 2015–16 season, amid financial difficulties and administrative issues related to the club's funding, Gloria turned to local youngsters for the second half of the campaign, while Tudorel Stanciu was replaced by Viorel Dinu, who took over as player-coach and guided the team to an 11th-place finish.
Grounds In the first year of existence, SC Popești-Leordeni played its home matches on Viscofil Stadium, in Popești-Leordeni, with a capacity of 3,000 people, then moving on Inter Gaz Stadium, after its renovation. Inter Gaz Stadium has a capacity of 1,000 seats and was the home ground of defunct Inter Gaz București.
Chronology of names NamePeriodCS Popești-Leordeni2011–2013Gloria Popești-Leordeni2013–2016SC Popești-Leordeni2016–present
Honours Liga III Winners (1): 2024–25 Runners-up (4): 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2025–26
Liga IV – Ilfov County Runners-up (1): 2012–13
Liga V – Ilfov County Winners (1): 2011–12
Cupa României – Ilfov County Winners (1): 2012–13
Players
First-team squad
Out on loan
Club officials
Board of directors
RoleName Owner Municipality of Popești-Leordeni President Valentin Boiangiu Sporting director Petre Pașculea Club delegate Paul Terteleac
Current technical staff
RoleName Assistant coach Cătălin Gheorghe Goalkeeping coach Cristian Popescu Club doctor Nicușor Dumitru Masseur Mihai Loțan
Former managers
Petre Pașculea (2011–2012) Aurel Ungureanu (2012–2013) Nicolae Laicu (2013) (interim) Adrian Iencsi (2013) Sorin Colceag (2013–2014) Viorel Dinu (2016–2019) Sorin Colceag (2019–2020)
League and cup history
Season Tier League Regular season Play-off / Play-out Notes Cupa României 2025–26 3 Liga III 2nd (Series III) 2nd (Series II) Promoted Third round 2024–25 Liga III 1st (Series III) 1st (C) (Series III) Play-off round 2023–24 Liga III 2nd (Series IV) 2nd (Series IV) 2022–23 Liga III 2nd (Series IV) 2nd (Series IV) 2021–22 Liga III 2nd (Series III) 2nd (Series III) Third round 2020–21 Liga III 3rd (Series III) – Third round 2019–20 Liga III 6th (Series II) – Fourth round 2018–19 Liga III 5th (Series II) – Second round 2017–18 Liga III 5th (Series III) – Second round 2016–17 Liga III 6th (Series II) – Fourth round 2015–16 Liga III 11th (Series II) – First round 2014–15 Liga III 7th (Series II) – First round 2013–14 Liga III 5th (Series II) 6th (Series II) First round 2012–13 4 Liga IV (IF) 2nd 2nd Promoted County phase - W 2011–12 5 Liga IV (IF) 1st (C) – Promoted County phase - QF
References
External links
SC Popești-Leordeni at Romanian Football Federation